Now That You're Here
by KatsuTami
Summary: The true love story that lifted many hearts before destroying the entire world... The love story that is still being written, the one that spans several millenniums... Begins in the Silver Millennium, Serenity/Endymion *COMPLETE*
1. Prologue

**A/N**: Okay, so here is the beginning of my first Sailor Moon fic, ever! I hope you enjoy, and I just wanted to let you know that I own none of the characters in this story, and that even most of the plot ideas were thought up by Ms. Takeuchi. If I could trade for a day, I would, and gladly. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

**S**he stared up at the stars in the sky, wonderment crossing her face. It was a beautiful night, with the silvery full moon highlighting the tops of the trees and flowers around her. She loved this place, with its quiet solitude and brilliant scenery. Her home was much different, and yet almost the same. It was lonelier there, even though she had more contact with people. She loved her home, but she loved even more the chances she got to escape to this planet.

"Princess, it is time to leave now"

She hid the small frown that momentarily crossed her face before she turned to face the girl standing beside her. "Yes, Suisei, I know." The Princess followed her friend and protector to the clearing that lay a few feet beyond them, where three other girls stood waiting. Sighing wistfully, she managed a small grin before addressing her protectors. "I do wish that we could stay, just a little longer."

A girl with long blonde hair reached out a comforting hand to caress her shoulder for a moment. "I know, my Princess. We love this planet as you do, but we cannot stay long. Daylight would make it impossible to return, and we cannot risk being seen. The Queen is calling us, and we must return."

The Princess Serenity nodded sadly, and the five girls formed a circle before joining hands. A bright light filled the clearing, and when it was gone, so were they.

* * *

**T**he next morning dawned clear and bright on Earth, and the palace was full of activity even at this early hour. Nephrite stalked towards his Prince's rooms, angry once more at the audacity of certain others that he was forced to work alongside. Knocking impatiently at the formidable wooden doors before him, he barely waited a moment before barging into his Prince's bedchambers.

"My Prince, you must wake, and quickly." He strode over to the large window on the opposite wall and threw open the heavy blue curtains that covered it. Turning to face the bed, he started at the sight that was before him.

Or rather, the sight that wasn't. The bedcovers were in disarray, proving that while somebody had indeed occupied the bed at some point during the night, that person was no longer in the room. He sighed and hung his head, the brown waves of his hair pooling over his shoulders. His Prince was gone, yet again, thanks to the inattentiveness of his colleagues. Silently cursing Zoisite's name, he left the room quickly to go to the one place he knew that the Prince would be.

Nephrite found him, countless minutes later, in the gardens again. He stopped short to observe his Prince, and saw exactly what he expected to see. His Prince was sitting on a low stone bench, admiring the roses again. Sighing with exasperation, he left the cover of the trees to stand in front of the Crown Prince of Earth, and made no attempt to disguise his anger.

The Prince, for his part, ignored the man in front of him for a few seconds longer before finally raising his head. He tried to hide the mischievous smirk on his face, but failed miserably. "Did you need something, Nephrite?"

The pretence of ignorance was enough to send Nephrite over the edge. "You know exactly why I am here, Prince. You are supposed to be training right now."

The Prince allowed a full smile to break out on his face. "Zoisite said he would not mind if we skipped it this morning."

Nephrite sputtered incomprehensibly for a few seconds before blurting out, "And what about yesterday, and the day before? The King and Queen will have my head if you don't get around to doing some real work around here, and do not mention Zoisite in front of me today!" He seemed to go off into his own world then, speaking more to himself than to his Prince. "If I had my way, that little weasel would not be in charge of anything at all. Allowing our Prince to do whatever he pleases, allowing him to shirk his responsibilities… It's completely ridiculous!"

Crown Prince Endymion laughed aloud at that. "Please Nephrite, you need to calm down. Of course I will train, just not right now." His dark blue eyes sparkled with laughter, and even Nephrite could not be angry when his Prince looked so happy.

He bowed slightly at the waist, and when he raised his head his smile matched that of his Prince. "Whatever you wish of me, my Prince. But you must promise that this will be the last day you shirk your duties. Kunzite is getting very testy, trying to defer your parents from coming to watch you."

At this, the Prince paled ever so slightly and his smile dropped a little. "My parents want to watch me?"

"Well of course. They do not wish to be embarrassed at your party next month. If you are going to fight in a real battle against another, they want to see that you are ready with their own eyes." Nephrite grinned wider, finally divulging a secret that he had held for weeks now. "Especially since the Moon Court will be joining us to bless you on your birthday."

Endymion looked ready to faint at those words. The People of the Moon had not come to Earth since his father's coming of age almost forty years earlier. He had hoped that they would come to his own coming of age celebration, but since there had been no news he had assumed that they were not. Now, he would have to throw himself into his studies and practice like never before. He had to make a good impression on the People of the Moon. He had to prove that he was worthy to rule the planet that they watched over so protectively.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, so that was the prologue! Let me know what you think so far, I know it was a little boring and short but the first chapter is ten pages so don't worry it will get much better! Reviews feed my inspiration, so don't forget to hit that little button down there and let me know!


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

* * *

**S**erenity leaned her forehead against the cool glass of her bedroom window and sighed lightly. Her breath formed a small ghost against the windowpane before fading away like it had never been. She was bored again. Already her visit to Earth merely two days before was fading from her mind's eye… She yearned to see the flowers and greenery once again, but it would have to wait.

Her mother, the Queen of the same name, only allowed her to visit the Earth on very rare occasions, and not usually for longer than an hour or so. Serenity couldn't count the number of times that her mother had lectured her on the risks of visiting Earth so often, even for the short time period that she was allowed. Perhaps it was her childlike innocence, or her sad pale eyes, but somehow Serenity was always able to convince her mother to allow just one more visit.

Serenity could remember when she was younger, when she would sit at this same window. She would gaze up at that beautiful, dark blue orb and wish that she was an Earthling too. She would dream about living on such a beautiful, blessed place. Walking in gardens, and going for horseback rides…

The present day Serenity allowed herself a small smile. She had not thought about horses in a long time. Her mother had showed her many pictures of Earth and her favorite had always been the one of the horses. Unfortunately, being only able to visit in the dead of night and never near real Earthlings had never given her the opportunity to see a horse in the flesh.

She was content, she supposed, and understood her mother's reasoning. Earthlings knew very little of the People of the Moon, and only those in the royal household had ever seen them in the flesh. But that had not been for many, many years. Serenity understood her people's obligation to protect the short-lived Earthlings from harm. Although nothing had come for many years, Serenity knew that in the distant past there had been many dark forces that had wanted to claim the planet for their own. It was the only one in their solar system that sustained life without any aid from technology or computers, which in its own right was quite the feat.

The People of the Moon were blessed with long life and great powers, but they were also cursed. They had to stay on the Moon, and watch the little people grow and die and evolve without interference. Of course, the Earthlings still knew that the Moon People existed, but to move among them for too long would cause jealousy and anger, all emotions that would lead to great trouble.

Serenity remembered the last time she had seen an Earthling. It had been many, many years ago, approximately forty Earth years…

The little Earth prince was growing up. He was turning twenty years old, the age at which men on Earth were considered to be adults. Being that he was the Prince, it meant that he would finally be entitled to many things, and be expected to become much more responsible for the running of his Kingdom. It was to be a grand event, with jousting and feasts and dancing… Serenity smiled wistfully. She had still practically been a baby at the time, only thirty Earth years old.

After much begging and pleading, her mother had given her permission to go. She was to accompany her mother to the formal ceremony, where they would give the young Prince their blessings. They would watch him in his first joust before taking their quiet leave. Staying for much longer was tantamount to disaster. People always wanted to talk to the Royal Family of the Moon, to see them, to touch them… They would arrive unannounced and leave just as quietly. It was only afterwards that people would begin to think that there was something unusual about those silver-haired people…

Serenity brought herself back to the present with a slight shake. It was no time to be day-dreaming, as she had classes with her friends and guardians that day. Standing quickly and smoothing the folds from her dress, she bounded over to her expansive wardrobe to find a cloak to wear. Pulling a simple blue piece out, she threw it over her shoulders as she began to walk towards the door.

Unfortunately, this proved to be too much at once and she almost tripped. Recovering quickly and thanking her lucky stars that nobody had seen her little display of clumsiness, Serenity exited her room and ran down the hall to begin searching for her friends.

She found them in one of the libraries that were scattered across the Palace. It was by far her favorite library, which was saying a lot as she tended to avoid them. As a general rule, Serenity found them stuffy and boring. She would much rather be outside, enjoying the sunlight and fresh air. But this one was different. It was smaller than most of the others, but not as stuffy. There were only two bookshelves lining the east and west walls with the door in the north. To the south there was a large window, occupying most of the wall.

It was this window that made this library her favorite. It was a stained glass picture that was both ornate and simple in its beauty. It was a delicate rose, done in many shades of pink and red with a dark, starry background. For some reason, it made her think of the Earth. She wasn't sure why, but its simple beauty struck a chord deep within her.

Despite her love of the beautiful room, it did little to encourage her studying habits. She joined her friends at one of the small circular tables in the middle of the room. Suisei was in the middle, surrounded as usual by many piles of books. They were all different sizes, shapes and colors, and represented the diversity of her studies. Kinsei was sitting directly to her left, playing with a lock of her shining gold hair while maintaining a look of absolute boredom on her face.

Kasei and Mokusei sat on Suisei's right. Kasei was deeply engrossed in a flame-colored book that seemed to be about fortune-telling, while Mokusei was copying out recipes from another book into her notes. Serenity smiled before taking a seat next to Kinsei. The golden-haired girl immediately smiled at her companion. "Princess, you're late again."

Serenity scoffed loudly before exclaiming, "Yes, because it seems like you are working ever so hard at your studies."

Suisei peered condescendingly over the top of a stack of books. "We were waiting for you," she said pointedly before returning her attention to whatever fascinating tome she was examining.

"Not that there is much point in that," added Kasei. "Even if we can get Serenity into the library it's far too difficult to get her to keep her attention on the books."

Serenity's lip jutted out in a slight pout. "That isn't fair… I can't help being bored. What better way is there to learn but to go out and experience it on your own?"

"I understand," said Mokusei kindly. "Our little Princess is too flighty to be held up in this library for hours on end, reading about things that she will never see on a world that she cannot visit."

"There are other things too, you know," added Suisei. "You could study math or science, both of which are not limited to the Earth."

Serenity groaned in protest. "I cannot understand the need to study these things. We do not need to know about them. Our job is to sit here and make sure that nothing evil befalls the Earth. What need do I have of math and science when I will never need to use them? Besides, I can never seem to wrap my head around it anyway…"

Suisei laughed then. "That is because you give up after only the first paragraph, Serenity."

In a very un-princess-like manner, Serenity stuck her tongue out at the blue-haired guardian before picking out one of the books that she liked best; a romance novel.

Kasei groaned aloud. "Serenity, all you ever read is those ridiculous romance novels. How can you ever expect to learn more from them?"

"I don't expect to learn, I expect to _feel_," retorted the Princess.

"Our Serenity is a very romantic, heartfelt girl," said Mokusei affectionately.

"Besides, learning about love is the most important thing a girl can learn!" cried out Kinsei emotionally. "Love is what truly makes the world go round!"

"Of course the Princess of Venus would say that," exclaimed Kasei. She took a moment to flick her long black hair behind her shoulder. "Such passion is inappropriate for the Princess of the Moon. She has too much to be responsible for!"

Kinsei rolled her eyes at the Princess of Mars before turning her attention back to Serenity. "As the leader of the Senshi that protect you, I give you permission to read about whatever you wish!" At that comment, all five girls dissolved into helpless laughter before deciding to abandon their studies once more in favor of spending time outside.

* * *

**E**ndymion wiped the sweat from his brow before lifting his sword once more. Yet again Kunzite had bested him easily, and he was beginning to get frustrated. Kunzite, however, still appeared to be calm and collected, which only added to his Prince's anger. Taking a deep breath and focusing himself once more, Endymion concentrated all of his energy on the battle before him. Kunzite's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to anticipate the Prince's next move.

After circling each other warily for a moment, Endymion found himself momentarily distracted by laughter coming from his left. Kunzite leapt at the opportunity, dashing forward in the blink of an eye. Swords crashed together loudly as Endymion parried… barely. He put forth all of his energy to fend off the older man, inwardly cursing himself for getting distracted. Finally, he pushed Kunzite away in one desperate move to get some air.

Kunzite fell backwards, giving the Prince some distance. They began their dangerous dance once again, but this time it was Kunzite that was distracted by the laughter. Endymion also took the opportunity, charging at his opponent with all his strength. But he was getting smarter, and instead of going in for a straight strike, he went in low. Kunzite tried to parry, and for a moment it almost worked. At the last second, Endymion twisted his sword upward, causing Kunzite's grip to loosen on his own blade.

Taking what he knew would probably be his last chance, Endymion swung his sword quickly to the right, causing Kunzite's weapon to be wrested from his grasp and flung across their small battlefield. Endymion quickly righted himself and thrust the blade quickly forward, stopping only inches from Kunzite's neck. For a moment Kunzite's pale blue eyes blazed defiance, but he quickly relented and bowed his head to his leader.

Endymion grinned and sheathed his sword. Kunzite was scowling now as he walked to where his sword lay to retrieve it. Brushing the dirt quickly from the blade, he replaced it into its scabbard at his hip. He bowed formally to his Prince before commenting offhandedly, "You wouldn't have won if not for that fool's mindless giggling."

Endymion laughed aloud. "Indeed, Zoisite was almost my downfall as well. Although I would not call it giggling, his laughter is quite piercing."

"It is giggling, my lord," corrected Kunzite, now with laughter at the edge of his voice. "That man giggles worse than any lady of the court that I have ever seen."

"You are just upset because you finally lost," said a voice from a few feet away. Endymion and his silver-haired companion turned to face the newcomer. It was the source of the laughter, Zoisite himself. "In fact, if I did not know any better, I would say that the great Kunzite is _embarrassed_!" exclaimed the shorter strawberry blond man. Another one of his piercing laughs cut the following silence, causing Endymion to wince.

"On second thought," he conceded, "it is quite worse than the giggling of the court maidens."

Zoisite pouted for a moment with his arms crossed before sticking out his tongue and stomping away like a small child. Endymion and Kunzite laughed heartily before following him to where he sat with Jadeite at a small garden table that was laden heavily with books. Most of them seemed to be different kinds of math and astronomy, all books that Endymion had already taken upon himself to read at one time or another. Usually that was Nephrite's type of book, but once in a while one of the other Shitennou would delve into the subject as well.

Endymion picked up a particularly heavy book and studied the cover before dropping it on the table. The sudden impact made Jadeite jump in his seat before turning to give the Prince a look of irritation. He then silently returned to his reading like nothing had happened.

"Don't mind him, Prince, it's that womanly time for him again," laughed Zoisite, earning himself a glare from the blonde seated at the table.

"I am simply trying to expand my knowledge of the world. Unlike some of us who are content to play with weapons or admire our own reflection for hours, _I_ prefer to educate myself," spat Jadeite.

Kunzite sighed aloud. "Jadeite, this is the time when we need to be preparing the Prince for the ceremony that is fast approaching. He needs to look his best in front of the court, and he needs to be impressive to the Royal Family of the Moon."

Jadeite grumbled for a minute before conceding, "Well I still don't see that as a good enough reason to drop _all_ of his studies." He picked up a rather thin looking book and held it out to the Prince. "Here, read this before your birthday; it's a book on all we know of those who live on the Moon."

Endymion raised his eyebrow skeptically. "We don't appear to know much, do we?"

Jadeite smiled slightly, responding, "Well, no, not really, but a little information can't hurt."

"Well, I will read it then. Thank you, Jadeite. And now, I go to bathe." The Shitennou bowed to their Prince before he took his leave. As he walked away, Endymion turned the book over and over in his hands, looking at it with some kind of curiosity deep within his eyes.

* * *

**S**erenity purposely widened her eyes and clasped her hands together under her chin. "Oh, please Mother? There is a full moon on Earth tonight, and I so want to see it…"

The Queen sighed deeply. She did not like her daughter visiting the Earth so frequently, it could become dangerous. But on the other hand, Serenity always took her guardians with her and they had not been spotted yet… With that thought, the Queen knew that her daughter would have her way yet again. She closed her eyes in defeat and nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Oh, thank you!" cried Serenity, flying forward to embrace her mother. "Thank you so much!"

The Queen embraced her daughter in return, finally opening her eyes again and allowing herself a tiny smile. "But remember, it must be before the moon sets in the sky, otherwise you may get lost. And please, remember-"

"I know, I know, don't get spotted by an Earthling. I promise mother, I will be extra careful so that you don't regret trusting me." A huge grin was present on Serenity's face when she pulled away from her mother. "And don't you worry, the Senshi always look out for me!"

"I know, dear. Now go, if you want to manage to stay awake all night you must get some rest." Serenity turned to leave the room, but somehow managed to trip on the hem of her dress. She barely caught herself in time, turning the impending fall into a very awkward stumble. The Queen groaned inwardly and shook her head, wondering how she had managed to produce such a clumsy offspring.

As soon as she exited her mother's throne room, Serenity took off running to find her friends. She knew where Mokusei was, and headed towards the kitchen first. Entering the clean but somewhat stuffy kitchens, Serenity didn't need to look around to find the Princess of Jupiter. Back in her home at Io Castle, and much of the time when she was on the Moon, Mokusei spent lots of time in the kitchens.

Serenity found her with the pastry chefs, painstakingly decorating some small cakes with flower designs. "Mokusei, my mother gave us permission to watch the eclipse from the Earth tonight!"

Mokusei beamed happily at her Princess and put down the icing tube that she was holding. Wiping some flour from her cheek, she exclaimed, "That's excellent! I'll start packing us a delicious picnic right away."

"Perfect! But make sure you get some sleep as well, because we can stay for the whole eclipse, not just for part of it! We could even stay all night if we like."

"Don't worry Serenity, I'll pack this picnic and then go right to bed," she said with a generous smile. "Have you told the others yet?"

"No, I'm not sure where they are. Have you seen them?" inquired the Princess.

"Not lately. Perhaps they are in the library? I'm sure that Suisei would at least be there."

Serenity nodded happily before turning to take her leave. "Thank you Mokusei! I will see you later tonight!" She charged from the kitchen at full force, almost running headlong into a chef who merely stepped aside and shook his head.

She did find Suisei in the library, and the blue-haired Princess promised to wake her friend promptly when it was time to leave. Kasei and Kinsei were in the gardens, practicing with their weapons. Upon hearing the news, they also promised to sleep soon so that they would be fresh and ready for the late night ahead.

Serenity could not sleep, however. She was far too excited, and simply lay in bed staring at her ceiling. Finally, after tossing and turning, she rolled over to her bedside table to pick up the locket that lay there. It was beautiful, a gold star that opened to play a pretty melody. Her mother had given it to her as a gift, and the soft song often soothed her to sleep. After listening to it play repeatedly for a few minutes, Serenity felt her eyes beginning to close and allowed herself to be lulled into slumber.

* * *

**E**ndymion sat up late that night, reading the book that Jadeite had given him. It was quite short, but he had learned much from it. He had learned that many Moon people had silver or white hair, and very pale skin that seemed to glow, especially in the moonlight. They had not been officially seen on Earth since his father's coming of age, but many unconfirmed sightings had happened since then.

Apparently they would appear in a low flash of light, supposedly to collect samples of Earth wildlife and plant life. Supposedly they were fascinated with the planet that they could only watch from a distance, and loved to take samples that they would then recreate for their own enjoyment on their native Moon.

Endymion sighed and sat the book down, looking out the window to his right. He was comfortably seated in the window seat in his bedroom that overlooked the forests surrounding his family's castle. Suddenly, he sat up straighter and stared intently at the forest. Were his eyes deceiving him? He blinked deliberately and watched again, but saw nothing. But he was so sure he had seen it; a low flash of silvery light, just like his book described.

Making a quick decision, he stood and threw on his cape and boots to go and investigate.

* * *

**S**erenity couldn't see very well. She had dropped her locket at some point while she and her friends searched for the perfect picnic spot, and was now attempting to retrace her steps to find it again. She had promised not to go far while the four Senshi went on ahead to set up their picnic lunch. Searching around and peering through the underbrush, the young Princess couldn't seem to find anything.

She stepped into the clearing where they had landed on the Earth, and immediately froze. There was her locket...

…in the hands of a tall Earthling.

They stared at each other from across the empty space, neither of them daring to move.

Endymion could hardly believe his eyes… Surely she had to be from the Moon. Her silvery hair glowed, and her skin was so pale… She looked so delicate, so fragile, standing with one hand resting upon a nearby tree. Her other hand was clenched to the breast of her simple white gown, as if to hold herself in place. Endymion suddenly felt that if her voice was as beautiful as she was, he would surely fall in love instantly.

He was disappointed. She took a hesitant step backwards instead, as if to flee. He immediately stepped out into the clearing, reaching out his empty hand. "Wait!"

She stopped. He could see now that her breath was coming in tiny, frightened gasps. She was like a rabbit, timid and twitchy. Endymion heard a million different thoughts fly through his mind… He had to think of a reason for her to stay, to speak to him.

"Is this yours?" he finally said, holding out the locket towards her.

For a moment, he wasn't even sure if she could understand him, until she finally graced him with the slightest of nods.

"Here, take it then. I'm sorry, I just happened upon it while walking. Take it back, it's yours." He took another step forward, to hand her the little gold star that he held, before hesitated as she tensed again. "It's alright, really. I don't want to hurt you." He waited as the seconds ticked by.

Finally, she moved. She dropped her hand from the tree to join her other one at her breast. More seconds went by. Finally, she took a step forward.

Endymion could barely breathe. Her eyes bored into his soul, baring everything he had ever known. He wanted to hold her, to capture her soft coldness in his arms… His hand twitched involuntarily and the girl before him jumped. He held himself perfectly still again, trying not to get himself lost in her soft blue eyes. She came closer, painstakingly slow, finally reaching out towards his hand.

His heart stopped in his chest when her hand gently brushed his for a quick moment. Then, as quickly as she had appeared, she turned to run out of his life forever. He didn't even have a second to utter a protest before she disappeared into the trees in front of him.

Then, he heard a sharp cry. It finally spurred him to action, and he ran after the girl that had captivated him so quickly.

He came upon her much quicker than he thought he would, and found her sprawled on the ground at the base of a tree. He quickly dropped to her side, and she looked at him with tears spilling over her cheeks. He wanted to reach for her, to comfort her, but knew that he would only scare her. Instead, he settled on words to try and ease her pain.

"Are you hurt? What happened?"

"I- I tripped." Her voice was soft, but trembling with tears and fear. He now noticed a slight blush upon her cheeks, but whether it was from embarrassment or fright he could not tell.

He looked towards her ankle and could plainly see a bruise forming there. "You are injured," he stated easily, hiding his nervousness and anxiety.

"It isn't too bad," she said in a near whisper, "I was just surprised, is all." Her eyes met his once more and she forced a small smile, as if to indicate that she was, in fact, completely unhurt.

He found himself unable to keep himself from smiling back, and reached into his pocket for a kerchief to wipe away her tears. At first she shied away from his hand, but allowed him to clean her face.

Serenity was surprised at how gentle the Earthling was. He looked at her with such a soft gaze, and his dark blue eyes conveyed so much warmth. She was still scared though. All that kept running through her head that she had been seen. Seen by an Earthling, just like she had been forbidden so many times in the past! Suddenly she gasped and jerked her head away from the stranger. "I need to go," she exclaimed.

He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye as she stumbled to her feet and ran away from him once again. He didn't try to follow this time, choosing instead to sit and contemplate whether or not he had just had a fantastical dream. He let his eyes drift to where that goddess had sat before him moments ago, and grinned at what he saw there. It wasn't a dream, and he would see her again…

He picked up the locket that she had dropped when she tripped, and quickly tucked it into his pocket. He would wait for her, and when the time was right she would come back for such a precious little thing.

* * *

**S**erenity quickly relayed her story to the Senshi, omitting the fact that she had been seen. She told them that when she had tripped she had managed to fling the locket away from her person, and could not find it again. They had all wanted to split up and look for it, but Serenity had dissuaded them. She convinced them that they would find it another time, and that her ankle hurt too much to be looking.

They all watched the eclipse in peace, happily eating the food that Mokusei had prepared for them. All of them except for Serenity, that is. She kept glancing back at the trees at every small sound, worried that at any moment that dark haired man would appear again.

The moon was just beginning to reappear when Serenity feigned fatigue and convinced her friends that it was time to leave. They packed everything up and joined hands once more to return to the Moon. Serenity breathed a sigh of relief as the light filled her eyes, knowing that she would never have to see that man again, and nobody would ever hear of this, just another one of the Princess's mistakes.

* * *

**A/N**: Well that was chapter one! I hope you found it much better than the prologue, I try to keep prologues short and sweet :) Don't forget to let me know if you see any mistakes or if you think something should be changed. Or you know, if you just liked it ;) That's always nice to know too! Second chapter is finished, so review if you want to read it! Also, there is a forum now up to discuss this fanfiction; they are organized by chapter, so come and visit!


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N**: Wow guys thanks for the enthusiastic response to my first chapter :) it really made me feel good about what I'm trying to write here! Keep it up, it really encourages me!! Oh, and about why I chose to include the star locket instead of the moon watch in this one; I thought it made more sense for Serenity to accidentally forget her locket than for her to steal Endymion's watch; although perhaps the watch will come in to play later :)

* * *

**Chapter Two**

* * *

**S**he watched her Prince from a distance.

He looked sad. She wanted nothing more than to leave the cover of the trees and offer what comfort she could provide, but feared rejection. So instead, she simply watched him. She watched as the moonlight highlighted his dark hair, and as he dropped his head to examine something in his lap.

She knew that he was not sleeping well. This was the third time in a week that she had followed him out to the gardens, where he would sit for hours watching the forest ahead. It was as if he was waiting for something; something that never came. She twisted a lock of her red hair nervously around one finger. She wanted to know what bothered him so much that he felt compelled to spend his nights outside, gazing up at the moon.

She wanted to step forward and tell him that she had loved him since the first day she met him; that beautiful day when he had asked her to dance at a masquerade ball. She had known instantly who he was, despite the small white mask over his eyes. He had not recognized her since that day, although he must have seen her around the palace on several occasions. _Or maybe he has, but doesn't care to show it._

She shook the evil thought off, choosing to ignore it. She had felt so warm in his arms that day, and for a full ten minutes he had eyes for none but her. He was sweet and caring to his servants and equals, and she worshipped the ground that he walked on.

_But he doesn't even know your name,_ said that evil little voice again. She frowned for a moment before pushing herself away from the tree. She would leave him be now, content to have at least seen him once again today.

Endymion didn't hear her leave. He was too intent on the locket in his hands. He opened it slowly, and let the soft melody play for a moment before snapping it shut with a quick movement of his fingers. That tune haunted his dreams now, bringing back memories of when he had seen its owner.

Her wide blue eyes filled his mind and her soft voice consumed his soul. He just wanted to see her again, even if it was just to return her locket. And then, maybe he would have the nerve to ask her what her name was. He sighed wistfully before returning the locket to a small pocket within the breast of his shirt. He had been keeping it there for a week now, ever since she had left it. He returned almost every night to the gardens to watch the forest and wait for that silvery flash. But it never came, and he was always left to return, exhausted, to his bedchambers.

His studies were suffering, and he knew it. But somehow he just could not get her out of his head. He wanted to know about her, if she was really from the Moon and what it was like there. He wanted to know what her smile looked like… It had to be beautiful.

Finally, he gave up his moonlit vigil and stood to make his way back inside the palace. He would look for her as long as it took, until he was old and grey if need be. He smiled at the thought. He could picture himself sitting here, hunched with age, and finally she would appear, young and beautiful as the first time.

He whistled the song from the locket loudly and off-key as he made his way inside.

* * *

**J**adeite couldn't stand the tension in the room anymore. Kunzite was lecturing the Prince on the value of his lessons and why it was important to pay attention. The Prince was staring dreamily out the window and playing with something in his lap.

Finally, Jadeite leaned forward and smacked his hand loudly on the table, causing the Prince to jump to attention. "This is exactly what Kunzite was talking about, Endymion. You are jeopardizing everything that you have worked for! All of your training, all of your studies, all of your hard work! It will be all for nothing if you don't get your head on straight! If you don't make a good presentation at your birthday, who knows what will come of it! In fact-"

"That's enough, Jadeite!" interrupted Nephrite. "I think the discussion that really needs to happen is the discussion of what is distracting Endymion so much."

There was a heavy silence while the Shitennou eyed each other expectantly. Suddenly all eyes were on the Prince as a pretty tune wafted throughout the room.

Jadeite nearly lost his mind. "Are you even listening to me?" he exploded at the Prince.

Endymion responded by cutting off the music with a swift movement of his hand. "I'm sorry but I didn't quite catch what you were saying, Jadeite." Jadeite responded simply by throwing a book against the wall. Endymion had a confused look on his face, and turned to Zoisite for an explanation.

"Prince," started the strawberry blond general gently, "we have noticed a change in you these last few days. You are distracted and frankly, it worries us. If there is something going on, we need to know. We can help you." The Shitennou held their collective breath, waiting for some kind of enlightenment.

The Prince didn't speak for a moment. Then he moved, jerking his hand abruptly to throw something on the table. The Shitennou stepped forward to see it, confused at the simple gold locket sitting on the table.

"What is it?" queried Kunzite.

Endymion took a deep breath before beginning where all stories should properly begin; at the beginning.

By the time he was finished, all four of his friends stood in stunned silence around the table. They had not interrupted him throughout, and now their mouths gaped open, full of questions that they were unable to give voice to. Endymion had avoided their eyes for the duration of the story, and now he dared to look in the direction of their faces. He cracked a smile at the bewildered looks on their faces.

Nephrite was the first to speak. "Prince… Prince Endymion, do you think that this is entirely wise? Pursuing a girl that you know nothing of? That locket could be a dangerous device, infused with black magic, designed to bewitch you-"

Endymion cut him off with a loud laugh. "That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing you have ever said to me, Nephrite."

"He may be right," interjected Kunzite. "You do not know who this lady is or where she comes from; everything you saw that night may have been an illusion to trick you. It does seem that since then, she has captured your every thought, does it not?"

Endymion began to feel angry. He had confided in his closest friends, hoping for support and possibly some insight, and instead they were branding that beautiful goddess as an enchantress of the evilest kind. "I came to you for help," he voiced hurtfully, "and this is what you offer?"

"We are only concerned for your safety," soothed Zoisite.

The dark-haired Prince stood abruptly, causing his chair to grate loudly against the marble floor before falling to the ground in a jarring clatter. "I can keep myself safe," he proclaimed before turning and striding purposefully from the room, his dark cape swirling around him.

The Shitennou were left behind in a stunned silence, none of them understanding the sudden change in their Prince's demeanor.

* * *

**S**erenity was having difficulties lately. She was scared, for several reasons. She did not want to return to the Earth, in case she was seen again. She was scared of her mother, in case she would wonder where the locket had gone.

Mostly though, she was scared of her friends. They had begun to question her, and could not seem to understand her reluctance to return to the Earth to search for her lost locket. They knew that the small necklace meant the world to her, and they knew of her love of the Earth. They could not comprehend why she was appearing so indifferent to the idea of going back once more.

And Serenity was scared of the fact that soon, she would have to tell them what had really happened. She was scared of their judgment. They would be obligated to inform her mother, who in turn would probably be angry. Serenity felt like her throat was stuffed with cotton as tears welled up in her eyes. They would see how inadequate the Princess of the Moon was… They would scorn her for being that clumsy and stupid as to have been seen by an Earthling.

Suddenly, resolve filled her body. She would get the locket back herself. She wouldn't tell any of them of her plan, and she would go alone, using the crystal that was within her. She would get it back all on her own, and then if one day the truth came out, they would all be impressed with her bravery and cunning.

Now, with new hope building in her soul, she ran out of her bedchambers to find Kasei and to begin to lay the groundwork of her brilliant plan.

Kasei was in her room, seated on the ground in front of the large fireplace that occupied the east wall. She was wearing a simple red robe, and her forehead was beaded with sweat. She was communicating with the fire, the source of power for her and her planet. The fire held many secrets, and she was constantly trying to find out what they were. The other Senshi had returned to their castles for the time being, and she was left alone with the flighty Princess.

She did not dislike the Princess, not by any means. But sometimes she did find the younger girl to be very trying. In Kasei's mind, Serenity did not act the part of the Princess of the Moon very often. It was rare to find her studying like a proper lady, or entertaining the court with her grace and wisdom. _Not that the Princess has much grace or wisdom_. Kasei shook her head, sending her long black hair flying around her face. She should not think such things about the Princess.

Despite everything, Kasei knew that Serenity was a good person, full of hope for all worlds and people. She saw the best in everybody, and surprised them daily with her good will and faith. Kasei's train of thought was jarred off-track by a very rude pounding at her door.

"Kasei, are you in there? Kasei, open the door! I want to talk to you!"

The fire Princess sighed loudly before standing and wiping the sweat from her brow. Yes, she loved Serenity dearly, but she had a terrible habit of interrupting when people were busy.

Kasei strode to the door and opened it easily. She did not smile at the bubbly Princess, hoping to convey the fact that she had been busy. Serenity did not take the hint and fairly bounced into the room, all smiles and happiness. "Kasei, I just had a wonderful idea! The rest of the Senshi are returning tomorrow, and wouldn't it be just lovely if we had a party for them? We could get up early and make cakes and hang up decorations! I think that it is an excellent idea, don't you?"

During the Princess' spiel, Kasei's eyebrows had been rising higher and higher, until they threatened to disappear into her hair. "You are going to get up early and decorate? And bake cakes? And basically be productive for a good few hours?"

Serenity frowned at her skeptical friend. "Yes, I am. It's not that unlikely, you know. I never get up early because I have no reason to!"

"Yes, you're right. Never any early morning lessons or appointments that you have been consistently late for," pointed out Kasei.

Serenity blushed prettily. "Well this is much more important than all of that! Please Kasei, will you help me? I promise to go to bed early and tell one of my servants to wake me with the sun! Please?"

Kasei ran her fingers through her long black hair thoughtfully. "Fine, I will help." She cut Serenity off again before the other girl could get too excited. "_But_ you must _promise_ to go to bed early!" Looking outside to gauge the time of day, Kasei continued: "As in now!"

Serenity smiled happily and grasped the dark-haired girl's hands between her own. "Thank you Kasei! I will go to bed immediately, I promise! And I will make sure that nobody will disturb my slumber so that I will have no excuse to sleep in! It will be the best welcome home party we have ever had!"

Kasei allowed herself a small smile at the girl in front of her. "Whatever you wish, my Princess. Now go, you have to alert your servants to stay away from your bedchambers and to wake you early!"

Serenity responded with a happy nod before turning to dash from the room. Kasei winced as she heard the Princess exclaim in pain when she stubbed her toe on the doorframe. After the silvery-haired girl was gone, Kasei shut the door quietly before returning to her meditation.

Once she had informed her servants of the plan, Serenity went immediately to her room. She would have to be very careful while transporting to the Earth. She had never done it alone, so she would have to concentrate extra hard. She would also have to be sure to shield her use of power for fear that somebody would feel it. Taking a deep breath, Serenity closed her eyes and began feeling around in her mind for the help that she needed from the crystal within her.

* * *

**E**ndymion was, for lack of a better word, pissed. He was in the garden again. After he had stormed out of the talk that the Shitennou had planned for him, he had gone to his rooms. They had found him there shortly after, and without wasting any breath had begun to lecture him on the importance of his own safety.

He had told them with no hesitation that they were to mind their own business and to leave him alone. They had left him then, finally understanding that perhaps they were seeing danger where there was none. Endymion had not been able to stand sulking in his room though. He had returned to the garden, and watched the sun set. Seeing such things always calmed him, but still, he was angry.

How could the Shitennou say such things about a girl they had never met? He would admit that he had let his guard slip lately, and had not been concentrating well enough during practice or lessons, but that was no enchantment. He promised himself to pay more attention, and to devote more time to his swordplay.

Then, he felt a presence somewhere behind him. He stayed where he was, unmoving for a moment, trying to feel out this unknown person. He could hear the light breathing and small movements behind him. It was a woman for sure; the girl from the forest again, perhaps? He turned slightly to try and get a view from his peripheral vision, but could see nothing at first. Then, he saw a shadow behind a tree.

Making a quick decision and standing suddenly, he leapt over the bench that he had previously been seated upon. He ran to the stand of trees and barely heard the gasp of surprise from whoever was watching him. He heard them scrambling to get away- but it was too late. He rounded the tree and caught one delicate wrist within his grip, refusing to let his captive go. He dragged her out into what little light was left of the day, to clearly see her face.

He recognized her instantly. She lived inside the palace. A courtier, he thought. She was a slim woman with flaming red hair and bright green eyes and a curvaceous body, and he knew that many men had lusted after her. "Why are you here," he demanded roughly, giving her wrist a slight shake.

Beryl would not raise her emerald eyes to his midnight blue ones. He was angry, she could tell that much at least. Another little shake of her wrist caused her to cry out slightly in surprise, her mouth forming a small 'o'. "I- I'm sorry," she finally managed to stutter. "I did not realize that you needed to be alone here. I saw you and wanted to ask if you desired company… I'm sorry," she apologized again, finally looking up at his handsome face.

Endymion saw the fear flicker through her gaze and immediately dropped her wrist. "I should be the one apologizing. I did not mean to scare you. Return to the palace; I do wish to be alone tonight. Perhaps another night you may join me on a leisurely walk through the gardens."

Beryl smiled graciously. "If that is your wish, my Prince, I shall." She executed a graceful curtsy before taking her leave, and as she turned away her smile grew in size. _He does want my company_...

Endymion also turned away, feeling ashamed. He had taken his anger out on an innocent girl, one who had only wished to cheer him. But all thoughts of that were banished as he once again saw the small silvery flash of light. This time, however, it was closer than before, right near the edge of the gardens. _She has returned_, was his only thought as he ran in the direction of the quickly fading light.

* * *

**S**erenity cursed herself silently. She had overshot her destination, and was now at the edge of what appeared to be a beautiful and expansive garden. And now, she was at a complete loss as to what she should do. Where should she start looking? She peered around cautiously, and saw, past another stand of trees, a large castle. Did he live there? She did not dare go to the door as there would be far too many questions.

She bit her bottom lip in indecision. She was so unsure… Serenity decided to take the first step, and venture out into the garden. She loved flowers, all kinds, and this garden appeared to have many. Even if she could not find the Earthling from her previous visit, she could at least take some time to enjoy the scenery. She stepped cautiously out into the open and, when she saw nobody, took two more. Finally, she threw caution to the wind and began to wander around a little before spying a breathtaking rose garden.

Gasping in awe, she dropped to the ground, forgetting to keep her dress clean and sitting in the dirt to examine the beautiful specimens that only Earth was privy to. She was sitting that way, her arms full of roses, when Endymion came upon her.

He came over a slight hill to his personal rose garden and saw her. She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking, sitting amidst all those roses and bringing some to her heart-shaped face in order to enjoy their scent. Endymion stopped dead, unsure of what to do. He took a deep breath and a step forward, and then everything began to go horribly wrong.

Serenity saw him then, his movement catching her attention. She sat up straight with alarm, her body suddenly frozen with surprise. Once more, neither of them moved. Then, Serenity found her voice. "Give me back my locket!" she demanded.

Endymion was not prepared for this. He had not expected her to be angry.

She stood, seeing that he was not going to be forthcoming with the location of her necklace. She still held the flowers that she had picked in one hand, but now that hand dropped to her side, nearly forgotten. She outstretched her other arm, her palm open in a demanding gesture. "I want it back! I know you have it," she accused.

Endymion moved towards her, unsure of how to proceed. He had been prepared for her to run again, but not for this rude exchange. "I might be more inclined to give it to you if you had asked a little nicer," he said with a wry smile.

Serenity was too angry and stubborn to give in. This was the stance she had decided to take, and she would stick to it. "I shouldn't have to. It belongs to me!" She stamped her foot impatiently, wriggling her outstretched fingers expectantly.

He had to laugh at that. She looked like a small child asking greedily for a toy or sweet. He saw the offended look on her face at his laughter, but he could not help himself. "And if I refuse?" he queried innocently.

"Then- then I will be forced to hurt you!" she cried out defiantly. She only got angrier when he laughed at her again. "Stop laughing at me! I need it back… Please?" What was originally intended to be a royal order had turned into a childish plea and she winced at herself. Already her resolve was leaving her. Tears began to brim in her eyes at the thought of how weak she was, even before a mere Earthling.

Endymion saw this and stepped closer to her, nearly within her reach now. "I'm sorry, please don't cry. Here, look." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the locket, holding it out to her in a silent apology.

Her eyes immediately brightened and she snatched the locket from him. She turned it over and over in her hand, reassuring herself that it was hers and that it was still in its original condition. Dropping the forgotten bouquet of roses to the ground, she smiled at him, happiness evident in her eyes. "Oh, thank you ever so much!" Without a second thought she flew forward and embraced him tightly.

Endymion could not breathe. She was wrapping her long arms around him, embracing him warmly and burying her face into his chest. He looked down in awe and surprise at the silvery crown of her head before returning the embrace lightly. She was surprisingly warm and somehow so much more alive than any other person he had ever met. He had to stop himself from crying out in protest when she pulled away, blushing.

"I- I'm sorry. That was very improper of me. I don't even know your name…" She met his eyes finally, once more the shy rabbit that he had seen on that first day in the forest.

"Endymion," he finally managed to choke out.

She smiled again, and it nearly took his breath away. "En-dee-me-on," she sounded out slowly, and then giggled a little. "That's an odd name."

He was insulted, but only a little. "Well you can at least do me the courtesy of telling me your name, so that I can ridicule it in the same fashion."

"Serenity," she said easily, and then waited for his response.

He thought carefully for a moment before choosing his words. "I'm sorry, little Serenity, but I cannot find anything wrong with such a name. It is as beautiful as you are." He was pleased that she turned a very flattering pink color at the compliment.

"I- ah- well… Thank you," she finally said. "I suppose that your name isn't that bad after all."

He smiled at her, and the silence stretched on for minutes before both parties began to shift awkwardly. Finally, Endymion thought of something to say. Stooping to the ground next to her, and causing her to back away a couple of steps, he picked up the forgotten roses and began to arrange them back into the bouquet they had previously formed. "Here," he said, holding them out to her, "you dropped these."

She blushed pink again and took the flowers from him. "Thank you," she whispered quietly. "I've never personally seen flowers this pretty before."

Endymion was beginning to suspect she really was from the Moon, so he didn't act like the question was out of the ordinary. "Those are my roses. They are my favorite. I actually planted some of these ones."

She looked up at him from the bouquet through her long dark lashes, and he saw the smile play across her delicate features. "Your roses? Well, they are my favorite now, too," she informed him decidedly.

He returned the smile easily and was about to ask if she wanted to join him on the bench a few feet to their left when her eyes suddenly turned to the sky and she gasped aloud.

"Oh, no! I'm truly sorry but I must leave. It is getting late and I cannot stay." She turned to leave but he reached out and stopped her by grasping her tiny upper arm in his hand.

"Please, don't go," he pleaded quietly. "Stay and talk with me a little while."

Serenity hesitated. His dark blue eyes begged her silently, and she had to force herself to look away. "I'm sorry, but I must. You don't know what you ask by asking me to stay a moment longer."

He released her then, his head hanging slightly in defeat. "Go then, my little Serenity. You are right; I must not be so selfish."

His sadness tugged at her heard and she hesitated. He seemed so lonely, out here alone in the dark. "I… I could return. Not today, not even tomorrow, but soon enough." The light in his eyes as he met her gentle gaze once more nearly broke her heart.

"Do you promise?"

"Of course I do, Endymion." She smiled up at him, and took a step closer. Still holding the bouquet of roses, she had to rest her other hand on his shoulder and stand on her tiptoes, but managed to place a light kiss on his cheek. Then, before he could utter another word she had turned and fled towards the forest. He stood and watched her go, and still kept a vigilant eye even after she disappeared from sight. It was only after he saw the silver flash that announced her departure that he turned to go back to the castle.

* * *

**S**erenity took a deep breath, making another futile attempt to calm her nerves. Luckily, she had managed to hit her target this time, landing square in the middle of her bedroom. Unfortunately, she now had to realize what she had done. She was in an infinitely larger mess than before, and she knew that now more than ever she needed to keep this secret from her friends.

Not only had she seen the Earthling again, but she had a conversation with him before promising to visit again and kissing him! She could have hit herself over the head with a stick, and made a mental note to do it later. She could not keep her promise, that much was certain. She could not risk going to Earth ever again.

But that thought made her heart ache. She loved the Earth, it was so beautiful… She gazed at the roses still clasped in her grip and smiled sadly. In a matter of days these beautiful flowers would lose their life and turn into dried husks of their former beauty. Would she really sentence herself to never seeing a rose again?

And what would she do about Endymion? Even as she thought the name, his sad eyes filled her mind. He had looked so happy at the thought of her return visit; how could she disappoint him? If she did not go, she would never see for herself what that disappointed face would look like, but it would not stop her from imagining for the rest of her life. And if she did, she risked everything that she had ever known…

* * *

**E**ndymion had made his way back to the castle slowly as his mind wandered to other places. She had kissed him! She had placed her divine lips upon his cheek in such a gentle caress that he would never have believed that it had actually happened. And she would come see him again. He truly believed in his heart that she would. She did not look like the kind of person that would idly make a promise that they did not intend to keep.

He smiled to himself, gently touching the spot on his cheek that her warm lips had graced only minutes before. He could easily fall in love with such a gentle, loving person; he could already feel that within himself.

Somebody saw the look on his face and was wracked with jealousy. The person saw his hand touch his cheek ever so gently and wondered what it would feel like if he touched their cheek like that. And also wondered what had happened to cause him so much happiness in such a short period of time. The person had seen the flash of light even from where they stood; it was impossible to miss, as brief as it was. It had illuminated the sky for a moment, a long thin beam of light that went directly from the Moon to the Earth.

The person waited for Endymion to get closer to the castle before stepping out from the shadows. They tossed their long red hair back behind their shoulder, determination setting in. They would find out what had happened in the gardens on that night, and they would find a way to put a stop to it.

This person was utterly determined to make Prince Endymion love them, no matter what the cost.

* * *

**A/N**: Wow, I am really banging out these chapters! Keep reviewing, third chapter is on its way! And here's the question of the day; what does everybody think of my character development? Good? Bad? Needs some work? Let me know! The forum topic for chapter two is now up!


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

* * *

**T**he three Senshi had been appropriately surprised at the party that Kasei and Serenity had thrown upon their return. Although they were used to Serenity's sweet gestures, it had been a while since she had done something of that magnitude. But there had been something else, as if she had been trying almost too hard. While that was hard to fathom in a girl with such a bubbly, caring personality, they were too close to her not to notice. They chose not to bother her, however, and instead enjoyed the lunch that Serenity had prepared before retiring to talk about it alone.

Serenity had no idea that they were finally on to her. She felt exhausted, as if she had not slept in days. In fact, she had slept quite well the night before, despite her inner turmoil. But that had always been a special talent of hers, forgetting her worries and sleeping like the dead. Unfortunately, as soon as she awoke her problems always plagued her again. But for now, she was reassured that she could forget at least for one more night before she tried to decide what to do about the situation before her.

The Senshi, however, had not forgotten. They waited for Serenity to claim fatigue and take her leave of them before turning to more serious matters. Kasei began first, saying what had been on all of their minds. "Something is going on with the Princess."

Kinsei flicked her hair behind her shoulder in one quick motion before shooting back irritably, "What was your first clue?"

Suisei pondered for a moment before adding her input. "I think that perhaps she is distressed over the loss of her locket last week. Maybe the Queen found out and was angry?"

Mokusei dismissed that theory quickly. "The Queen has never been angry with Serenity for anything. In fact, I don't think that the Queen has ever been angry, period!"

The other girls quickly agreed. They brainstormed for a while before deciding that they had no clear-cut answer, and then nominated Kinsei to talk to Serenity herself in an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.

* * *

"**Y**ou saw her again, didn't you?" queried Kunzite bluntly.

Endymion tried and failed miserably to hide his grin. "Whatever gives you that idea?"

Nephrite was quick to throw in his two cents. "Because you are smiling like a horse's ass and have been all day! This has to stop, and soon. You don't even know her name-"

"Serenity," breathed Endymion suddenly. All four of the Shitennou were shocked into silence for a moment.

Unfortunately, it was a very short moment. "You know her name now?" exploded Jadeite at the same time that Zoisite crowed; "So you did see her last night!"

Endymion couldn't help himself; he began to laugh. The Shitennou looked so comical standing there with various expressions of confusion, surprise, and anger flying across their faces. And those expressions only deepened at his laughter, which in turn caused him to laugh even harder. It must be said that the Shitennou managed to hold their tongues until he was finished, which was a feat indeed.

It took several minutes for Endymion to calm himself, and he wiped a tear from his eye before looking up at their expectant faces again. Kunzite's expression was unreadable and stoic, completely opposite from Nephrite's flabbergasted visage. Zoisite was matching Endymion's grin, but his seemed to be born more from a feeling of triumph than of pure amusement. And Jadeite was frowning, as usual.

"You don't seem to have much regard for how much danger you are putting yourself in, Endymion," said Jadeite in a low voice.

At that, Endymion got slightly irritated. "We have already had this conversation, Jadeite. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself and I am not under any enchantment. Although, this girl is rather bewitching, that I will admit. I cannot help it. I just want to know about her, where she is really from, what it is like… It's so intriguing."

"Perhaps we would feel better about this if we met her ourselves," suggested Kunzite quietly.

Endymion gaped at him in a very un-Princely manner for a moment before recovering. "You want to meet her?"

"Kunzite has a good idea there," pointed out Zoisite. "If we can see and judge for ourselves, then our worries will be settled. And if they aren't, perhaps we can make you hear sense. Although it is kind of endearing; our Prince, falling in love!" he teased gently.

"I'm not in love with her," protested Endymion. "I'm just curious!" But even as the words left his mouth he wondered how true they were. He had already admitted to himself that he could love her; was he getting closer and closer to that feeling as the days went by? He had only met her twice, so he wasn't in love… Was he? He shook the thought off and instead decided to answer an earlier question. "I will ask her next time I see her if she is alright with meeting you… But if she is uncomfortable with it then it will have to wait," he warned.

Kunzite seemed satisfied with that. "That is all we ask, my Prince." He bowed deeply from the waist and the other Shitennou followed suit, even though the majority of them were still deeply dissatisfied with the conversation.

* * *

**K**insei was very scared. She was scared because she was standing outside of the Princess Serenity's bedchambers. Well, really she was scared because of the conversation she was going to have with the Princess, not of standing in front of her room (although the door was very heavy). The blonde Senshi contemplated pretending that the Princess had been asleep, but knew that it would not be good enough for the other Senshi. Now was the time when she had to step up and be the leader she was meant to be, and damn the consequences. The Princess and her safety was top priority, and if something had happened that Serenity was hiding from the rest of them it was Kinsei's job to find out.

The Princess of Venus lifted one gloved hand and only hesitated for a moment before knocking on Serenity's bedroom door. She was just about to give up and wait until another time when a faint 'Come in…' was heard from the other side of the door. She took a deep breath and quickly recalled the conversation she had prepared in her head before turning the knob and stepping inside.

Immediately Kinsei was confused. A beautiful melody filled the room faintly, and Kinsei recognized it instantly. Her eyes roamed the large room for a moment before spotting Serenity sitting in her window seat. But for once she was not staring up at the Earth in the sky wistfully; instead, she was gazing almost lovingly into her lap, and that was when Kinsei realized what was wrong with the scene.

"Your locket!" she exclaimed excitedly. "When did you get it back?"

Serenity gasped, realizing her mistake much too late. She snapped the locket shut quickly and tried to stuff it under the hem of her dress, but the damage was done. Serenity may not have been the brightest of her friends (that right was for Suisei alone), but she knew when to cut her losses. "I… Well, you aren't going to be very happy about it," she said cautiously.

Instantly, Kinsei was on her guard. She went over to the Princess and sat at her feet, arranging her golden dress carefully on the floor around her. "Whatever happened cannot be that upsetting, Serenity. You are still safe; just tell me." Kinsei smiled brightly to encourage her Princess.

Serenity took a deep breath in an attempt to believe that before beginning. "I guess I should tell you the whole truth, about everything." Two pairs of blue eyes met and Serenity saw the uncertainty in her guardian's face. "I lied about how exactly I lost it in the first place. When I went back to find it… I… An Earthling saw me!"

To her credit, Kinsei did a very good job of not gasping or immediately berating Serenity. Instead she held her tongue so that Serenity could continue.

"He- he had my locket. He gave it back, and I ran, but that was when I tripped and hurt myself. And I did really drop my locket again, but then that man showed up again and he helped me and I was so scared that I just ran!" Serenity looked like she was about to burst into tears at her admission, and Kinsei reached out a reassuring hand to comfort her. "And that isn't all, Kinsei," burst out Serenity. "I went back! I was so terrible, I went back to get it by myself and I saw him again and oh Kinsei I even promised him that I would see him again!"

Kinsei paled visibly. "You- he- you- what?!" she finally exploded. She regretted it only slightly when she saw tears begin to fall from Serenity's face, but she could not stop herself. "Serenity, I cannot believe you would be so irresponsible! Who is he? Is he cute?"

For a moment, Serenity couldn't comprehend the question that had just been asked. _Wasn't Kinsei just yelling at me_? Then, she turned bright red with embarrassment. "Well, I suppose he is attractive…"

Kinsei squealed with excitement. "What does he look like?"

She didn't think it was possible but somehow Serenity managed to turn even redder. "Well… He's very tall, much taller than me. And he has black hair that's always kind of a mess, but in a nice way. And he has deep blue eyes, like a dark stormy ocean… And he gets little crinkles around them when he laughs," she sighed dreamily. "Oh, and his smile! His smile could melt the coldest heart…"

Kinsei suddenly turned very serious. "Serenity, I think we have a problem."

The Princess snapped to attention, looking very worried. "What is it?"

"I hate to be the one to inform you, but… I think that you are falling in love!" Kinsei applauded excitedly, both at the idea of love and at herself for being the one to diagnose it.

Serenity could only move her mouth soundlessly for a moment. It was becoming more and more clear to her that her friend was absolutely insane. Suddenly her mouth snapped shut at the memory of mere moments before, when she had been describing Endymion with loving detail. "I can't be in love!" she wailed abruptly, halting her friend's indulgent applause. "I barely even know him, how can I love him?"

"Serenity," berated the Senshi of Love, "you know very well that love doesn't listen to sense and reason. Love simply _is_."

The Princess halted her panicked wails immediately. "Well maybe I can make it listen. You know as well as I do that I cannot love an Earthling."

"But it's so romantic… Two lovers, destined to be together forever but forever apart…"

Serenity once again worried for her friend's sanity. The dreamy look in Kinsei's eyes was enough to make anybody feel concern. She had an overwhelming urge to push Kinsei out a window, but shoved the thought away quickly. _I need to get away from her to think_, was the thought that finally won in Serenity's tormented mind. "Kinsei, I need to be alone. Please."

Kinsei had the grace not to argue, but made Serenity promise that she wouldn't be leaving the Moon again without telling her. Serenity agreed, but left out that she would have agreed to anything if it would get Kinsei to leave her alone. And for her part, Kinsei didn't inform the Princess that she was just as eager to leave, because she planned on immediately finding and informing the other Senshi of what she had discovered.

Finally alone, Serenity went to her bed and collapsed onto it. The words _in love_ briefly flitted through her mind before she shook her head and pushed them out. She took a deep breath to quell the panic that she felt rising up in her chest. _Why do I feel so scared at that thought_, she pondered to herself. Briefly, she pictured Endymion's face. His warm blue eyes, filled with laughter, captivated her mind. She found herself smiling happily, and this time she did not banish the thought when it came again. _I'm in love with an Earthling_...

She squealed happily and hugged a pillow to her chest, briefly wondering what it would feel like to hug him like that.

* * *

"**S**he's in _what_?" cried Kasei.

"_Love_," repeated Kinsei. She smiled happily at her fellow Senshi, but they did not seem to share her sentiment. Kasei looked furious while Suisei had a pondering look on her face. Mokusei looked apprehensive of the whole situation. Kinsei couldn't understand their issues with it. Well, she could understand the danger of the whole thing, but chose to ignore it, wishing that her friends would understand how wonderful it was that their Princess was in love.

There was a pregnant silence.

Finally, Mokusei broke it. "Who is this Earthling?"

A confused look crossed Kinsei's face. "Enderion? Endymin? I can't remember…"

Suisei sighed with only a hint of resignation. "If she truly is in love, then I suppose that we cannot stop her. We can only make sure that she is safe."

"And letting her go gallivanting off to see her Earth lover is safe?" raged Kasei. Her violet eyes flashed in anger. "No! We cannot let this happen. We must keep her away from Earth, at whatever cost."

Kinsei chewed her lip thoughtfully. "But she promised that she would visit him once more. And she said that when she does-"

"When?!" sputtered Kasei, but Kinsei cut her off.

"And _when_ she does she will ask him if we can meet him, to ease our discomfort." She threw a scathing look at Kasei, who merely grumbled in dissent.

"So it's agreed then," said Suisei cautiously. "We will allow Serenity one more short visit, and then we will go and meet this man."

Mokusei added, "Even if it cannot work out for them in the end, we should let her be happy for a while."

Kinsei nodded at the others happily, but Kasei continued to make noises of disagreement before turning her nose up at them and gazing pointedly out of a window with her arms crossed. Kinsei gave her a pleading look, asking for just a little bit of sympathy for Serenity's plight.

Kasei could feel all of their eyes on her. Finally, she turned back to them, her violet eyes narrowed. "Fine, we will let her go, just this one time. And then we will meet this man, and then that will be it."

Kinsei squealed happily and hugged her friend, who stood stiffly in her arms before relenting and giving her the smallest of hugs back. Violet met blue as Kinsei whispered, "Don't worry, Kasei, you will see the power of love and you will understand."

Momentarily, Kasei wondered why the blonde had been appointed the leader of the Senshi.

* * *

**E**ndymion waited. One night turned into two nights. He was getting tired. He wanted to see her again, but she had not appeared yet. He told himself to be patient, but found that his inner voice was losing the battle over his mind. He reminded himself that she had promised to come, not the next night, not the night after, but sometime. His heart spoke again, reminding him that it was not the next night or the night after. He wondered if she would not come again until he was old and grey. He pictured himself still sitting there when he was and old man, and tried to laugh.

He couldn't. He knew that if that happened, he would be waiting here still. And finally she would appear, young and beautiful as ever. Somehow, in his heart he just knew that was how she would always be. And that hurt more than ever. He wanted her here, now, just so that he could try and tell her how he felt. He blushed in the darkness. He had admitted to himself that he loved her, but did he have the strength to tell her?

He hoped that he did not have to wait long to find out.

* * *

**S**erenity hugged her friends. Kasei had wanted to go with her tonight, but Kinsei had miraculously managed to talk her out of it. Kasei still looked grumpy and ruffled, but had hugged Serenity back tightly whispering for her to be careful. Suisei had simply smiled and wished her luck, and Mokusei had told her to go and get him with a triumphant hand in the air. Kinsei had reminded her not to stay long, and that if she needed them she had only to reach out with her mind.

Serenity had smiled. She had tried to tell them not to worry, but her heart wasn't in it. She only wanted to go, now, and tried not to think of how she would feel if he wasn't there. She feared that her heart would break, and wondered again if this was what love felt like. In her heart, she knew that it was.

She left her Senshi in a brilliant flash of light, and they all looked at each other apprehensively. They silently wished her luck and hoped that no harm would befall her.

Serenity once again found herself in the forest. It was dark; the Moon was a small sliver hanging in the sky. Her heart raced in her chest. She set forward in the direction of the garden, once again briefly wondering whose castle lay ahead. That thought was pushed away when she saw him.

He was here. Her heart leapt. He was sitting on a small bench, looking apprehensively towards her. She smiled, and restrained herself from running towards him.

Endymion had seen the flash of light, but had held himself back from going to her. He wanted her to come to him, to want to see him as badly as he wanted to see her. She emerged at the fringe of the trees, and he could see her face clearly in the waning light. She was smiling brilliantly, and his heart pounded harder. She came towards him, a stunning goddess in a pure white dress. He wanted to hug her again, to hold her in his arms. _Not yet_, cautioned an inner voice, and he briefly had an urge to punch himself.

He stood to meet her, and for a moment neither of them spoke. They could only gaze at each other for a moment, until shyness overtook Serenity and she blushed and looked away. That broke the spell over him, and he managed to speak. "You came."

She met his eyes again, smiling once more, but the blush still tinged her cheeks pink. "Yes. I promised you that I would. Were you waiting long?"

_I waited every night for your beautiful face to appear again_. "No, not long at all. Thank you for coming."

Her smile broadened. He had an overwhelming urge to grab her and kiss her, but stilled his treacherous hands. Instead, he offered an arm to her, which she graciously took. They walked like that, arm in arm, back towards the bench. He allowed her to seat herself, and bowed to her briefly. Serenity fought back a giggle at his play courtesy, instead deciding to play along.

"Sit with me, my lord." He bowed again, and this time when he rose he could not hide his grin. He joined her on the bench and they simply sat together for many minutes.

Finally, he could not keep his voice silent. "How long can you stay?"

She bit her lip cutely while she thought. "An hour, maybe two," was her final response.

Endymion smiled easily. _Much longer than last time_. "Tell me about yourself, Serenity."

Then, she did laugh. It was a sweet silvery tinkle that uplifted his heart. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," he answered suddenly.

Her laughter halted in her throat. He looked so serious, so intent on knowing her. His midnight eyes looked into her soul. She wondered if he felt what she was feeling. She decided to distract herself with talking, as she often did. _Should I tell him everything_? "Well," she began, "I'm from the Moon…"

_I knew it_, he thought to himself, but said nothing aloud. She had turned to him with apprehensive eyes, expecting to see fear or confusion. Instead, to her relief, she saw only acceptance. "What is it like there?" he finally asked, his voice bursting with curiosity.

"It's very cold," she said quietly, and it took Endymion aback for a moment. "Oh, don't get me wrong," she said hurriedly at the shocked look on his face, "it is very beautiful and everyone there is very loving. But I don't feel like I belong there, at times. I've always watched the Earth and visited when I could. I feel like here is where my true happiness lies." She stopped herself before she said much more, afraid that she would accidentally spill her feelings about him.

Endymion smiled. He could not help it. She was so pure, so sweet… How could he not love her? And she loved this place as much as he did, it seemed. He saw that she was smiling back at him, and he could no longer keep himself silent. "Serenity, I have a favor to ask of you."

She blushed again, and he wanted nothing more than to touch her. "Yes?" she asked, so quiet that he barely heard her.

He contemplated backing down, but he had already started. "Just a kiss."

She gaped at him like he had a second head. He didn't dare laugh at her, or even move for that matter. Once again she was his scared little moon rabbit, poised for flight. Then, something changed in her face. He barely had time to try and analyze it before all fear left her eyes. She met his gaze evenly, and smiled ever so slightly.

He didn't wait for a verbal answer.

Serenity was trembling, and could not stop herself. Part anticipation and part fear, shudders threatened to wrack her small frame. She kept herself still though, for she was afraid that with one wrong move she would wake from this wonderful dream. He cupped her small face in his warm hand, and she reveled in his touch. His hand was slightly calloused from hours of battle practice, and yet still gentle. His other arm wrapped around her slim waist, pulling her closer to him on the bench. She was scared to even blink as his midnight gaze pierced hers.

Their lips were only inches apart. She could feel his hot breath light on her face like thousands of tiny butterflies. Her stomach flipped anxiously. She couldn't take the pressure anymore, and closed her eyes. Endymion's lips touched hers then, and she gasped with the shock. He was so warm, so gentle… She lost her train of thought as his lips pressed more firmly against hers.

They broke apart after what seemed like an eternity. Both lovers gasped for air as if they had not tasted it in a lifetime. Serenity surprised herself with her boldness and planted another kiss on his sweet lips, but this one was chaste and sweet. When she pulled away she could not help but giggle. She felt giddy and happier than she ever had been.

Endymion returned her laughter. He felt elated. He loved her, definitely and forever. He vowed silently at that moment to be with her for the rest of his life, and however many incarnations came after that. This girl made him believe in eternity.

They were so involved in each other that neither person noticed someone else running away from them through the shadows.

Beryl had seen the whole interlude. She had been near enough to hear their conversation, when the girl had admitted to being from the Moon. She had hid her noise of repulsion, but barely. She saw the way that he looked at her, and she hated it. When he had asked the Moon girl for a kiss, Beryl had barely contained herself from flying from the shadows and throwing the girl away. She could not seem to avert her eyes from the scene before her, and it horrified her.

When they had joined together to share their kiss, she had turned and fled deeper into the trees, not caring anymore who saw her.

She ran. Faster and harder she flew through the bushes, trying to outrun her pain, but she could not. Tears blinded her vision, so she did not see the cavernous hole in the ground before her before she fell headlong into it. She barely had time to utter a cry before it was cut short by her impact with the ground. Her surprise halted her tears. She was in some kind of underground cavern, dark and deserted. She sat there, nursing her inner and outer wounds for a moment.

If it had not been so quiet she would not have heard the noise from behind her. It was like a soft slithering, almost a sigh. She spun her head around quickly, her heartbeat quickening in fear. Her green eyes were wide and her pupils dilated in an attempt to see through the pitch black. The sigh came again, but this time is was more sibilant, nearer to a hiss. She stood in a panic.

"Who's there?" she cried out desperately.

She almost convinced herself that she must have been hearing things when she saw something move in the shadows. Or rather, that she saw the shadows moving. She blinked, hard, in an attempt to dispel the optical illusion. But when she looked again, the shadow that was darker than the night in the cave was still there.

It was shapeless, ever changing its form. It slinked closer to her, hugging the wall, and she backed away. She only managed a couple of steps before she hit the end of the cave. "Please, stay away from me!" she called out to it, pleading with her eyes.

_Don't worry, my child_, it hissed in her mind. Beryl screamed. The voice of the being seemed so quiet, but it burned through her brain like a brand. _I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you like so many others have._

Beryl fell to the ground with the pain of it, clutching her head.

_I see your pain, my child_, it whispered, and Beryl thought that she heard pity in its voice. _We have both been shunned, and I think that we can help each other._

She managed to stare at the thing in disbelief. "Who are you?"

_I… Yes, I have a name… I am Queen Metallia. I see your thoughts. Your beloved Prince loves another, one from the cursed White Moon. Let me help you… Let us become one… Those on the Moon are evil, twisted beings. Serenity does not love the Prince, and he is only bewitched by her evil magic. Take me within you, and together we can banish that evil and the Prince can be yours._

Beryl gasped. It all made sense now; the Prince had loved her, he must have, but that stupid girl from the Moon had cast a spell over his senses. She pulled herself up again, using the wall as leverage. "And the Prince will be mine?" she nearly whispered.

_Yes_, hissed the shadow. _Everything you wish… Everything shall be yours._

Beryl did not have to be told what to do then. She stepped forward and opened her arms to the shadow. It rushed forward and enveloped her, and she hissed at the cold touch. _I will make everything better_; hissed the shadow into her ear.

And then, all that Beryl knew was darkness.

* * *

**A/N**: eek! I wonder what Queen Metallia is up to... lol I love how there's absolutely no suspense in this story cuz you all know what's coming. Oh well! I hope I updated fast enough for you guys; don't forget to leave a review! I've noticed that there's a lot of people adding this to their favorites and everything, so thanks! But a lot of you haven't left reviews, and it makes me sad :( Please review! The forum for chapter three is up now!


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N**: hey, so sorry it took so long! I was experiencing some writer's block because this is kind of a boring chapter. It's finished, and I'm not too happy with it, but it's out there so now I can continue. The next one will be much better because the action finally gets started! Thanks guys!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

"**Y**ou _kissed_ him," whispered Kinsei in awe.

Serenity allowed the pretty pink blush to spread across her face. Kinsei looked wide-eyed with worship at her friend. Kasei looked ready to spit fire, not that Serenity would have been surprised if she did. Suisei clucked her tongue in motherly disapproval, but still smiled. And Mokusei looked just as surprised as Kinsei.

"You kissed him _twice_," said Kasei, but her voice sounded angry.

"Yes," said Serenity dreamily, "and it was _wonderful_." She seemed blissfully unaware of the concern of her friends. Even Kinsei's wonderment had faded to a look of concern.

Suisei decided to speak up. "Don't you think, Serenity, that you are being hasty? After all, we are forbidden to even meet with Earthlings, let alone _love_ them."

Serenity's lips puckered in a frown. "It can't be that bad; after all, mother arranged for us to go to the Prince's birthday in a couple of weeks. If we aren't allowed to meet them, then why are we going to the one event where there will be many?"

None of the Senshi had a good answer for her.

* * *

**E**ndymion had just told his dear friends that he had forgotten to ask Serenity if they could meet her. He had also told them why he had forgotten, and he suspected that this was the cause of their anger. Not that he minded; he just kept replaying the kiss over and over in his mind. Her soft, pliant lips against his still haunted his thoughts. The Shitennou had left quietly, and he had not minded much.

And the Shitennou were beginning to get irritated with his lack of attention. Lately it seemed that all he did was stare into space with a smile on his face, and it was beginning to grate everybody's nerves. Since the arrival of this mysterious girl from the Moon, their Prince had been seemingly bewitched. His studies and practice had taken a backseat to his midnight pursuit of Serenity, and the Shitennou felt that it did not bode well for anybody involved.

The Prince would put on a shoddy display at his birthday, and the King and Queen would consequently be displeased. They would ask the Shitennou, not unkindly, why their son had been a complete and utter disgrace at his own coming-of-age ball. They would have to answer; to lie to the monarchy was treason. Once the reason was unveiled, their rulers' wrath would be unstoppable.

All four of them had discussed this possibility the night before, when, unbeknownst to them, the Prince had been having relations with the very girl they were discussing. It had to stop, and before the Prince's birthday. Kunzite was trying to figure out how at that very moment, but he seemed to be having some kind of brain block. Find another girl for their Prince perhaps? No, he was too smitten. Force him into marriage? Not without notifying the King and Queen of the situation.

They were stuck, completely at a loss. Something had to happen soon, or all of their heads would be on the chopping block.

Fortunately for them, that something was coming to them right at that very moment. There was a light knock at the study door where they were convened. Jadeite shot a questioning look at Kunzite, who merely shrugged. They had not summoned anybody, and the servants knew that they were using this room privately for the time being. Nephrite took the initiative to open the door slowly, peering at who was on the other side. Instead of questioning the person or turning them away, he stepped back to allow them entrance.

Beryl stepped into the room. Immediately, it was as if the light in the room changed. It seemed to get darker, but perhaps it was just that Beryl was brighter. Her eyes seemed to glow in the dim room, and her red hair flowed wildly to her waist. Nephrite gave Kunzite another look, but this one held a warning.

"I've seen her!" cried Beryl before lunging forward to grasp Jadeite's shirt. He stood up in fright at the suddenness of her attack and knocked his chair over. She continued to grasp his shirt and shake him, and he looked pleadingly at Zoisite. The other man simply looked at him, completely at a loss for words. "I've seen the woman you spoke of, the witch from the Moon!"

Kunzite stepped forward. "Beryl, release Jadeite this instant." She did not protest, and let the blond man from her grasp. She turned to Kunzite, and for a moment he thought that he saw something deep within her gaze. "Now, what witch was this that you spoke of?"

"The Moon witch!" she cried again, and this time her gaze was pleading.

Kunzite's blue eyes flickered to Nephrite for a moment. There was no way she could have known who they were talking about earlier without listening in on their conversation, but if she truly had seen the girl from the Moon then perhaps she had valuable information. But Nephrite only stared coldly at his comrade before giving the slightest of nods. Kunzite turned his attention back to Beryl, who seemed close to tears now. "Tell us what you know about her."

The redhead sunk gratefully into the chair that Zoisite offered her, and began to tell them her tale.

* * *

**S**erenity waited patiently for her mother to be available to see her. Patience was not normally one of her virtues, but this was a special case. She had decided to go directly to her mother and tell her what was going on. Serenity had never seen her mother angry, and therefore felt that she had nothing to fear. But the Senshi were worried. They felt that nothing good could come of Serenity's meeting with her mother.

The Princess had finally given in and begun to fidget restlessly when Luna came out of the Queen's office. The woman from Mau was very slight and delicate looking, and her long curly hair flowed past her waist, almost to the hem of her bright yellow dress. Serenity loved her mother's advisor; when the Queen had been too busy to play, Luna had always been there.

"You can go in now, Princess. Try not to bother your mother too much as she has a lot on her mind today."

Serenity smiled at Luna happily. "Of course I won't, Luna. Thank you!" She bounded through the door, which Luna closed quietly behind her.

Queen Serenity was seated behind a massive desk, made completely out of a pale white and grey marble. Her white hair was up in the family style of two buns perched precariously on either side of her head, and her thin, delicate crown graced her forehead. She smiled up at her daughter and waved a graceful arm at the chair on the other side of her desk, inviting her child to join her.

Serenity dropped into the chair heavily, wincing at her ungraceful move. She always felt clumsier in front of her mother, but how could she not? The Queen Serenity was completely unrivaled in her grace, beauty, and kindness and the Princess could never hope to come anywhere close to that. "Well, my child?" asked the Queen. "What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"

Serenity took a deep breath before beginning her story, merely a week and a half before- although it felt like much longer- hoping that her mother would understand.

The Queen listened silently, her expression unchanging. She did not interrupt or question her daughter, but simply let her speak on. Princess Serenity was elated. She had thought that this, at least, would wrest some anger from her mother, but instead the Queen seemed mildly amused. Serenity finished quickly with the kiss from the night before, and dropped her eyes to her lap with embarrassment.

"You truly love him, don't you my dear?" asked the Queen quietly.

Serenity's head shot up, and she met her mother's cool blue gaze. Her mother was smiling gently, encouraging her to answer. "Y-yes mother, I do. I cannot explain why or how-"

"Do not try, child. Love does not need a reason, only a heart. You have my blessing, dearest daughter. But promise me that you will let the Senshi go with you next time; it is their job to protect you, after all. I'm sure that you hurt their feelings by going without them."

Serenity leapt up and ran around the table to embrace her mother. They shared a heartfelt hug, made only slightly awkward by the fact that the Queen was still seated in her chair. Serenity then took her leave, thanking her mother profusely for her blessing.

After her daughter left, the Queen activated the small screen embedded into her desktop. The face of Meiousei appeared, fuzzy at first, but gained clarity within a few seconds. "Did you hear everything, Meiousei?"

The dark-haired, olive-skinned woman nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, my Queen."

"I know that you cannot tell me how all of this will play out, but you are not the only one who has sensed the darkness of our future. I fear that soon the three of you will have to break your promises, something that I did not want to think about."

Meiousei nodded again. "I must leave you, my Queen. I will contact Tenousei and Kaiousei; they will need to know what has happened."

"I'm sure that they are already keeping a weather eye out; as are you."

Meiousei bowed deeply to her Queen before the image on the screen faded and went black. Queen Serenity sighed deeply and sadly. She had sensed what was coming from the moment her daughter had been born, and had put all of her mixed emotions to the side in order to give her daughter a happy, full life.

One that the Queen knew would be cut inevitably short.

* * *

**B**eryl waited patiently for the Shitennou to call her back into the room. She had told them a true story, but for a few alterations on her part. In Beryl's version of the story, the locket that Serenity had left for Endymion had been bewitched, and the spell had been sealed with the kiss from the night before. Beryl had claimed to have seen the magic herself, and she was convinced that the Shitennou believed her.

Now she just had to wait and see.

She didn't have to wait long though. A few short minutes later, Nephrite opened the door and motioned her to reenter. She kept herself from smiling, as she knew already that this was a victory in the making. Nephrite guided her to a seat, and she avoided Jadeite's scrutinizing gaze. Beryl already knew that Jadeite would be the hardest to convince, and so left the job to the other Shitennou. If she could convince them then they would convince Jadeite for her.

Kunzite folded his long fingers carefully over each other, his elbows resting on the table. "Beryl, it seems that you have confirmed our suspicions. We had guessed that perhaps the Prince was under some sort of spell, and unfortunately it seems that we were right. We are unable to think of what to do; perhaps you can help us?"

Beryl considered her next step carefully. "The Prince's birthday is soon. Is it true that the People of the Moon will be attending?"

Kunzite thought carefully before answering. "Yes, there have been rumors to that effect."

"Then we will ask them. It seems a dirty trick to enslave the Prince of all the Earth just before he is of age to rule. Have they not for many years longed for our beautiful planet?"

Zoisite stepped in. "We do not know that the monarchy has anything to do with this!"

Beryl shook her head, her long hair flying about her face. "On the contrary, Zoisite, for I have seen this girl and I believe her to be the Princess of the Moon. She shares the hairstyle reserved for those of the royal family."

"How have you come by this kind of information?" asked Jadeite, still skeptical.

"Books," she replied flippantly. "What harm can come of asking them? We will not make a scene."

Kunzite wasn't sure if this was the best idea, but nodded his head slowly. "She is right, there is no other option. We cannot go to the King and Queen; they will make a rash decision. This must be done discreetly and without offense, or the Queen of the Moon will surely turn her power on us. Thank you for this information, Beryl. Leave us now."

The redhead didn't argue. Instead she bowed gracefully and stood to make her exit. She almost had them, or at least she would soon. Besides, she had other seeds to sow. If Queen Metallia's plan was going to work, the rest of the People of Earth needed to be convinced in the meantime, and she knew just how to do it.

* * *

**K**insei played awkwardly with the sword on the table in front of her. Queen Serenity had given it to her before she left on her most recent trip, and it bothered Kinsei. None of them had ever been required to use their powers to protect the Royal Family, not that they would have hesitated anyway. But it was still disturbing knowing that for some strange reason, the Queen fully expected her to have need of a sword sometime in the near future.

Kasei sat across from her, also quiet and pensive. Both girls were true warriors at heart and kindred spirits in many ways, almost as many ways as they differed. It was a beautiful blade, both could admit. It looked to be made of hard stone, but the Queen had assured Kinsei that when she needed it, it would change to the hardest crystal. It was kept in stone for her protection from its poison.

Both girls feared greatly having to free the sword from its stone sheath. God knew what the circumstances would be if that ever needed to happen.

* * *

**E**ndymion was getting more and more excited. His birthday was soon, and his Princess would be there. He had vowed to himself to introduce her to his mother and father; he just knew that they would be as overjoyed as he. He once more threw himself into training and exercises; he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of his love. He was so busy that he didn't seem to notice that the Shitennou barely seemed to have time for him anymore.

He didn't notice that redheaded girl watching him.

And he certainly didn't notice how uneasy the common Earthlings were beginning to get.

* * *

**B**eryl was feeling more and more confident as the days went by. Everything seemed to be working just as she had wanted. She could feel the power of Queen Metallia growing within her, anxious to be freed. Everything was set now, though. On the Prince's birthday, that's when everything would come together.

They would not know what had hit them, nor would they have time to react. The People of the Moon would die, especially that ignorant Princess, and then she would take over as ruler, and marry her Prince of the Earth, just as it should be.

* * *

**S**erenity was really, truly happy. She had gone to see Endymion again, for the second night in a row. They had talked for many hours this time, telling each other of their lives. He was the Prince, she learned, the Prince whose birthday she would be attending in a couple of weeks. It made her happy knowing that he was a Prince; after all, who could deny the match of the Earth Prince to the Princess of the Moon?

He had been overjoyed at the knowledge that she was the Princess. He had wanted to go immediately to his parents and introduce them, but Serenity had protested vehemently. She had just gotten up the nerve to tell her own mother, and didn't want the same kind of harrowing experience that same night.

The Senshi had come, too, just as her mother had asked. They had met the Prince, who was surprised to see visitors but not unhappy. Kasei and Mokusei had been skeptical and standoffish at first, but soon had come around due to his friendliness. Serenity sighed happily. Perhaps everything would work out after all. She had been worried, but her mother had taken it so lightly.

Endymion had given her a present as well. It was a beautiful little pocket watch, golden colored and decorated with moon and star insignias. She kept it with her locket, her two most precious possessions.

But there was something wrong. Her mother was rarely at the palace anymore. She kept leaving to visit other planets. Serenity was worried about her mother's sudden absences. In all the years that she could remember, her mother never left for this long of a time. Something was going on; that much she could figure out. It was something big, something that her friends knew more about than they were letting on.

Serenity noticed something else, too. Everybody seemed to be waiting, or holding their breath for something. It was as if time had slowed down, and it was driving Serenity up the wall. The Palace suddenly felt stuffy and hot, and everybody was whispering secrets in corners. _What if I'm going crazy_?

She needed some reassurance. She went to look for Suisei, the smartest person she knew, to help diagnose the problem.

Unfortunately, Suisei wasn't in the library. Serenity was at a loss. Suisei was _always_ in the library! Where else would she be? Serenity mused for a minute before deciding to check the ice skating rink. Hopefully, if she was lucky, somebody would at least have seen the blue-haired Princess.

Outside, Serenity was relieved to find that it didn't feel nearly as stuffy as when she was indoors. She skipped towards the ice rink and saw Mokusei skating around gracefully in her Senshi uniform. She realized wistfully that she had not been on the rink for a long time; she had been much too distracted with the Earth and Endymion. Then, she spotted Suisei as well. Both of her friends were skating around joyfully, although Suisei was still much more reserved than Mokusei. Serenity made a snap decision, forgetting her original reason for coming to the ice rink, and ran back towards the Palace to get her skates.

* * *

**J**adeite and Kunzite were arguing. It was not the first time that this had happened in the last few days, and both were beginning to get weary of it. Jadeite still did not completely trust Beryl. She had reported to them every time that she saw the Prince sneak out and what he seemed to be doing with the Moon Princess. Jadeite had wondered aloud after one of those very reports what she was doing following the Prince around in the first place, and that was what had sparked the fight.

Kunzite slammed a fist on the table and glared at his comrade. "It doesn't matter why in the first place anymore! She saw the Prince being put under a spell and now she watches him to keep us informed!"

"We could watch him ourselves, you know," spat back Jadeite.

Kunzite leaned forward and grabbed the blond man's shirt, dragging him forward until they were almost nose to nose. "Listen to me, Jadeite. We have already discussed this and decided that should something go wrong we will let Beryl sully her own name and be cast from the court. We will stay silent in this matter until the truth comes out, because if we are wrong- Well, I shudder to think of the consequences. Go and watch him yourself, if you like, but don't even think of naming the rest of us should you get caught." Kunzite pushed the shorter man away from him contemptuously.

Jadeite rubbed his neck, trying to ease the pain from being thrown about like that. "Fine, I'll stay away for now. But I'm telling you that there is something going on with Beryl that none of us can see, and I don't think it's a good thing." He turned and left the room decisively. He was right, he could feel it, and he was beginning to regret even allowing the redheaded woman to have her say in the first place.

He had already tried talking to Zoisite, despite how much he despised the man sometimes. Zoisite had laughed and told him to ease up; they weren't planning anything major anyways. Nephrite had just glared at him while he said his piece, before telling him that they had bigger things to worry about than whether or not Beryl had good intentions. Nephrite had even said that no matter what her original intentions were, she was saving the Prince from being enslaved and that was all that mattered.

Jadeite was thoroughly disgusted with his comrades' lack of concern about where this was going. They still assumed that they had control, but they didn't seem to realize that there was no control when they were just sitting back and swallowing everything that Beryl fed to them. But at the same time, Kunzite was right, as much as Jadeite hated to admit it. He could not risk spying on the Prince himself and getting caught, and it _was_ better to take the fall and only step up if something happened. But what if something happened and they were too late? What if something happened and they were all wrong?

Jadeite shuddered for a moment. He still could not figure out where it was coming from, but he had a definite feeling that something was not right with the whole situation. And the worst part was that he had no idea what it was, how to fix it, or if he would even be able to.

* * *

**E**ndymion was completely exhausted from his day of training. He had been working mostly with some of the Palace guards, all of them honored to be helping the Prince with his swordplay. His night visits with Serenity and her Senshi made it even harder to keep himself well rested, but it was a sacrifice that he enjoyed. Tonight would be his last visit with the Princess before his birthday, and he was excited to see her.

He was waiting by the edge of the forest, but he did not have long before he was rewarded by seeing the flash of light that alerted him to their arrival. He could not hide the smile on his face as he watched them make their way to him through the foliage. First, he saw Kinsei. She was a happy, bright girl, but he sensed that beneath it all she was a deadly warrior. Her bright blonde hair shone through the darkness, but to him she was nothing compared to Serenity. Next, he saw Kasei. They had all told him about their planetary powers, but even if they had not he would have guessed that she was the Senshi of fire. Her violet eyes burned, and she rarely smiled. Hers was a deadly kind of beauty, the kind that made hopeless men fall to her feet. Mokusei appeared next, tall and Amazonian. She was also very friendly, but Endymion was still a little scared of her. She was strong, just as strong as most men that he knew. And then there was Suisei, small, quiet, and demure. She was very smart, and usually brought a book to read for the bulk of their visits. Finally, Serenity appeared.

She was breathtaking, as usual. Her flowing white gown and glowing hair seemed to capture his every thought. He could never seem to capture in words everything that she was, but he knew how she made him feel. He felt happy, elated even, just to have seen her again. And in two days it was his birthday, the day when he knew that his parents hoped that he would find a wife. It was the day when he would present Serenity to them, and he knew that they would love her just like he did.

"Hello, Endymion," said her quiet voice. They smiled at each other, almost shy, before embracing gently. He could not help himself, he was too happy, and bent down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. She was blushing when he pulled away, and he quashed his urge to do it again and again. He looked back at the Senshi, who were looking away, embarrassed.

"Hello, my little Moon Rabbit," he said fondly. He stepped back to reinstate propriety before greeting the Senshi. They greeted him just as formally, all four of them bowing to him.

Mokusei held up a basket cheerfully, declaring, "I brought a picnic!" Endymion remembered how good her cooking had been last time, and looked forward to the meal. They decided to set up their picnic right there, at the edge of the forest, and all six of them got to work unpacking the blanket and the food.

They made fast work of it, and soon they were all enjoying the delicious meal that Mokusei had prepared. Kinsei showed Endymion her new sword, and he admired it.

"It really is beautiful; what special occasion is this for?"

Kinsei looked slightly perturbed at the question. "Honestly, I'm not sure. The Queen entrusted me with it."

Endymion mused over her answer. "Perhaps just for being the leader of the Senshi?"

She nodded slowly, but still didn't look sure.

"Whatever the reason, I'm sure that you deserve it, and hopefully you will never have to use it in combat," said Endymion reassuringly. She smiled at him, but it didn't seem to last.

"These pastries are delicious!" exclaimed Serenity suddenly. Everyone turned to see her attempting to stuff an entire cake into her mouth, and laughter abounded.

They passed a few hours amicably, laughing and enjoying themselves, none of them aware of the horrible things that would soon come to pass.

* * *

**A/N**: yeah so that was a pretty choppy chapter, but there was a lot of stuff going on and that's just how it worked out... Again, I'm sorry cuz I don't really like how this chapter came out anyway and I wanted to speed it up a bit cuz now I know exactly how the rest of the story is going to go, so the rest of it will come faster and better! Thanks for sticking with me and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!! The forum for this chapter is also up now, so check it out!


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N**: I am really really sorry that it has been so long! I just moved back home and started a new job; the last couple months have been completely chaotic! Then, of course, I made the mistake of starting to watch Escaflowne again which (and I'm sorry, fans) is my absolute favorite anime. So then I had to write something for it, but now I'm back! I want to write something full-length for Escaflowne but I'm forcing myself to wait so that I finish this one first! So, without further ado; chapter five!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

**E**ndymion took a deep breath. This was it. It was finally time for what he had been waiting for. He triple checked that his sword was still attached firmly to his belt. He could not shake his nerves today, but who could blame him? It was finally his birthday. In a few moments, his name would be announced and he would go out into the crowd to face his opponent. If all went well, he would strike the man down and earn the crown of his father.

If not, he hoped that he would die quickly before he had too much time to be embarrassed.

Serenity would be there, he hoped. He knew that their arrival was secret and shrouded in confusion, and as such Serenity had been unable to tell him much. But she had promised that she would be there at some point. He hoped that she would be there to see his victory.

There was loud cheering from the other side of the heavy wooden doors that he stood behind. He tightened his grip on the scabbard of his sword, the leather of his gloves creaking in protest. He could not lose tonight. Already sweat was beading on his brow, threatening to fall.

The doors began to open, and he took one last deep breath before stepping out to face his fate.

* * *

**B**eryl watched from the sidelines. From now on, every move had to be perfect, every action meticulously calculated. If she took one step wrong, then everything she had worked for would be over. She felt the power of Queen Metallia growing within her, and it felt like fire consuming her soul. If she tried to think about it clearly, she could not remember the original reason for the beginning of all this. That worried her slightly, but Queen Metallia was always there to reassure her. _The Moon Witch must die so that you can reclaim your rightful place as leader of both the planets_.

Right, that was a good enough reason.

Her resolve strengthened as the Prince came out into the large ballroom. She imagined that all the people were cheering for her because she had saved them from the oppressive rule of the Moon. She felt elated, on top of the world. It had to work, or she would die. _Yes, yes you will_.

She shook her head, red curls flying, in an attempt to clear her thoughts. Every ounce of concentration would be needed for the task at hand. She watched the Prince for a moment, almost paying attention to the beginning of the ceremony, before she was distracted. Her vision seemed to zero in on the sight in front of her. The Moon Court was here! They were cunning to sneak in while everyone was distracted by the beginning of the ceremony. She eyed them carefully; this was the first time she had seen them clearly and in full daylight, and she needed to make sure that she knew exactly what they looked like. The two who were obviously royalty- although how she knew for sure she had no idea- were in the middle. One was much older, but still young-looking and beautiful. The second was slightly more childish but equally beautiful. They both wore white gowns, not uncommon in the court these days, and had their hair in matching buns on top of their heads.

Beryl sneered inwardly at the group. She hated them for being so beautiful. She wanted them to cry so badly that it hurt. Even their beloved Senshi- again, how she knew the name escaped her- were dressed for the occasion for once. The leader, the one that she knew was the Princess of Venus, wore a resplendent gown of yellow and a red bow in her hair. Suisei wore a blue gown as the Senshi of Water, and Kasei wore one of red. Finally there was the Princess from Jupiter, tall and statuesque in her green gown. They all looked fiercely alert, but Beryl didn't mind. They wouldn't be expecting the kind of attack that she was planning.

She suddenly realized that there was a pair of eyes fixated on her. She met them fiercely for a moment, but soon realized that the soft blue eyes of the Queen Serenity were probing her, looking for something deep within. Beryl began to feel flushed and warm, and quickly averted her gaze. A loud clank of metal broke the Queen's concentration and Beryl gasped in relief. The swordfight had begun.

Endymion attacked fiercely, and Kunzite shook his head from the sidelines. The Prince would wear himself out like that, too quickly to win. Endymion seemed to realize that as well, and soon lessened his attacks. The initial clash had been fast and hard, but now the opponents backed up to circle each other and feel out the other's defense. Endymion glared into the eyes of his enemy, a fierce and experienced fighter from his father's army. It was this man that had begun his training, and it was this man that would finish it.

Eric- for that was the man's name- grinned at the Prince. He had often watched the Prince's swordplay, and knew the man's every move. Unfortunately, Endymion did not have the same advantage. He knew almost nothing about Eric's fighting style, except that nobody walked away from a fight with the older man without an injury. Endymion made a quick decision and lunged forward once more. Steel clashed with steel as Eric parried his attack easily.

Endymion leaned his body weight in- it was probably his one advantage. Eric strained under the weight of the Prince and his weapon, perspiration beginning to form on his forehead. But he was fighting hard, and Endymion was having difficulty keeping up the pressure. Finally, they fell away from each other, panting hard. The lack of blood seemed to spur on the crowd, who doubled their cheering and screaming. They wanted a fight, and they would get one.

Eric lunged first this time. He was done playing with the younger man, and determined to finish the fight quickly. He was too old for these kinds of things now. The Prince parried his attack wildly, leaving himself wide open for the backslash. A fire seemed to build in Endymion's veins. He would not be defeated and shamed! He swept aside Eric's backslash quickly and moved forward to advance his assault. Eric leapt backwards to avoid the sharpened tip of the blade, and heard the metal sing as it swept by his head.

Endymion took the moment's respite to search the crowd quickly. He saw a flash of silvery hair in the audience and grinned wildly. Serenity would see him win! The distraction nearly cost him his life; he barely ducked to avoid the wild side-sweep to his head. Thoughts of his Princess were hastily cast aside as he once again threw himself into the fight.

He lunged wildly, bringing his sword around in a downward sweep that would surely have killed his opponent, if it had hit flesh. Instead, metal bit into metal once more and Endymion winced at the reverberations. Eric used that moment to push him backwards, and with his arms flailing for balance Endymion was a wide open target. Eric continued his onslaught, pushing Endymion backwards once more. The Prince was barely managing to parry each blow, and sweat was dripping into his eyes. The salt burned and made it hard to see, and he felt himself beginning to panic.

Suddenly, he had an idea. When Eric tried another swipe across Endymion's torso, the Prince dropped to the ground. Eric was unable to stop his motion and his arms were soon thrown out to the sides, leaving him open and unbalanced. Endymion launched forward from his position on the ground, tackling the older man around the waist. Eric didn't have time to react; he simply fell to the ground. Endymion continued his roll into a standing position and quickly turned so that he was at the older man's head. He leveled his sword at Eric's face, and silence fell.

Then, Eric began to laugh, and the tension eased noticeably. Endymion laughed as well and sheathed his sword. He held out a hand to his defeated opponent and helped him to his feet. Eric bowed to his Prince, and the crowd began to cheer again in earnest.

Serenity breathed a sigh of relief. She had never seen a real swordfight before, and wondered why Earthlings felt the need to be so violent. Her heart had leapt at every swing and thrust, and even though she knew that Endymion was in no danger, she had been scared.

Endymion looked to his parents, and saw them smiling their approval. They sat on a dais above the crowd, and he walked towards it. He sank to one knee at the foot of the stairs, bowing his head in obeisance. He didn't hear his father stand and descend the stairs, but felt the presence above him. A heavy hand fell on his shoulder, and Endymion looked up to meet the dark brown eyes of his father.

"My son," said his father's deep, warm voice. "You have made me proud today by proving your worth on the battlefield. I believe you to be very worthy of my crown and my kingdom." The King held out his hand to Endymion and helped him to his feet.

"Surely I appreciate this, father, but I do hope that it is many years before I receive your crown and your kingdom." He turned to face the crowd, who were watching the proceedings with bated breath. He raised a fist triumphantly above his head, crying out "Long live the King!" The crowd cheered enthusiastically, and the spell that had held them all in place was broken. They began to mill about and music began to play. Now was a time for celebration and rejoice.

Endymion watched happily as the figures wove an intricate dance around him, and suddenly his gaze was entranced by a pair of sparkling blue eyes. "Serenity," he said under his breath. He moved towards him slowly, and crowd seemed to part between them. Without a word they joined hands and began to move perfectly with the music.

He saw someone who he could only assume was Serenity's mother smiling at him, and he returned it wholeheartedly. The other Senshi were there, and they waved demurely at him, trying not to attract too much attention.

Beryl saw their dance from across the hall. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she smiled, but it was not a nice smile. _It is time_, said Queen Metallia in her head, but Beryl hadn't needed the prompt. She was ready; she knew what needed to be done.

* * *

**T**he King and Queen watched happily as Endymion danced with a beautiful girl. He looked very happy, and they thought that perhaps this was a girl that their son could marry. They looked into each others eyes, remembering when they had been so young and in love, and clasped each others' hands lovingly.

Slowly, other people stopped dancing to watch the Prince and his mystery girl. With more space, Endymion spun her around more vigorously and she laughed charmingly. Soon, nobody was dancing but the Prince and Serenity.

The song ended much too early for Endymion's liking, but he bowed to Serenity and she curtsied to him. He took her arm and began to lead her up to his parents. It was time for them to meet the love of his life. Hushed whispers swept the crowd; they knew what his advancement towards the throne of his parents meant.

Serenity looked back to her mother, hoping that she was smiling. The Queen had a confusing look on her face- apprehension, maybe? But when Serenity caught her eye she smiled, and Serenity returned it.

The Queen and King of Earth stood when their son approached. Endymion took a deep breath; this was the moment he had been waiting for. "Mother, Father, this is Serenity."

"She is a witch!" screamed a voice from behind them. Endymion spun around, enraged that someone would say that about his true love. He saw a woman standing in the middle of the hall, her arm outstretched to point at Serenity. "She has bewitched our Prince so that her people can take the kingdom for themselves! She is a witch from the Moon!"

Her accusation spurred the court into action. The whispers grew louder; this was the enchantress they had been hearing rumors about for the last week. Murmurs of agreement abounded; Serenity looked stricken.

Endymion spun back to his parents; they looked horrified. "She is from the Moon?" his father growled.

"Yes, but-"

"No!" interrupted his father. "No son of mine will be bewitched by a sorcerer from the Moon! Tell me girl, did you plan to invade my kingdom?" He glared at Serenity.

She was completely baffled. She looked to Endymion, who looked equally panicked and confused, to her mother, who was pushing her way through the crowd towards her. Serenity couldn't think of anything to say. The rest of the court was moving towards her as well; it was all happening too fast to comprehend. Suddenly, there were people all around her, and she couldn't move or think.

The entire court gasped as people surrounded the accused girl, and she disappeared in a flash of light. Shouts of confusion and screams filled the hall, and Beryl watched it all with a smug grin on her face. _It has begun_. She climbed up on a table, instantly attracting attention. "See? She shows her power and her guilt all at once! The people of the Moon intended to bewitch our Prince and to take Earth for themselves! We have long known of their jealousy of our beautiful planet!" Shouts of agreement welled up around her, and she looked to the King of Earth. The next step was up to him; she hoped that he would make the right one; otherwise it would make her job very difficult.

The King stood and held up his hands for silence. He tried to avoid Endymion's pleading look; of course his son would plead for the girl. He was completely under her spell. "My people!" he boomed. "We cannot stand for this!" Cries of support rang out and he had to shout to be heard. "Calm yourselves! We will not be defeated! It has been too long that we have been under the oppressive shadow of the Moon! We will attack them, and soon!" The cheers were deafening; the King sat down and rested his head in his hands. He hoped that he had made the right choice.

He chanced a look at his son; Endymion was gone.

* * *

**E**ndymion ran through the palace, his breath tearing from his lungs in ragged gasps. He was completely enraged; how could they all turn against him so suddenly? Something had happened that he hadn't noticed; somehow, the people had known something already, and they had decided that Serenity was evil. Somebody was behind this, and Endymion vowed to kill them, no matter what the cost.

First, he had to get to the Moon. He had to warn them all, before it was too late. He turned a corner, and practically flew down a flight of stairs. In almost no time, he was in the basement of the palace, standing before a heavy wooden door.

He didn't knock, and let himself swiftly into the room. There was someone hunched over a table that was covered in bottles and beakers of many different strange concoctions. The figure turned to face him, surprised to see the Prince standing before him. "I need to get to the Moon," Endymion burst out before the person had a chance to say anything.

The figure sighed quietly. "I shouldn't be doing this, my Prince."

Endymion strode forward quickly, and grabbed the scientist's shoulders. "I am ordering you to give me the Moon Potion. You have no idea what you will be responsible for if I don't get it."

The small man cowered slightly under his Prince's rage. "Yes, my lord," he finally said. Endymion released him, and he straightened his coat, scowling slightly. "Follow me." He turned and walked to a cupboard on the opposite wall of the door. Endymion was right on his heels as he opened a small door and removed a small vial of a silvery looking liquid. Endymion moved as if to grab it, but the scientist held it out of his reach. "There is no guarantee that this will work, my Prince. It has never been tested before."

"I would rather die than not try," Endymion growled fiercely, and grabbed the vial. He unstopped it quickly and downed the contents, wincing when the freezing liquid burned the whole way down his throat.

The scientist didn't even blink when the Prince disappeared from his view. "Well, hopefully he ends up on the Moon," he muttered to himself as he returned to his work.

* * *

**B**eryl stood in a quiet room with the Shitennou. She was leaning against a chair, gasping for breath. She felt so exhausted, and yet exhilarated at the same time. She had just felt some of Queen Metallia's true power; she had reached out and put the finishing touches on the spell over the Shitennou that would enslave them to her forever. It was powerful stuff; they were still unconscious. Beryl laughed, sounding nearly mad. She would be Queen, and soon!

She turned and left the room. There were many preparations to be made and many spells to cast; she had to make sure that the invasion of the Moon would go smoothly and that no one would oppose her.

* * *

**Q**ueen Serenity sat in a chair, her head in her hands. She felt horrible for her daughter; the poor girl had no warning of the events that had transpired. The Senshi were with her now, trying to quell her tears and calm her down. The Queen heard a quiet beep coming from her desk, and peered through her fingers at the small screen that was crackling to life.

"Meiousei," she said quietly.

"It has begun," said the fuzzy picture in the screen. It was not a question, but a statement. The Queen nodded wordlessly. "We may not arrive on time," cautioned the Princess of Pluto.

"I know," responded the Queen sadly. Without another word, the screen blinked off and the Queen was left with her questions unasked. _They may not arrive in time for what?_

She clicked on the intercom again. She was greeted this time by Kinsei's face, which was uncharacteristically filled with worry. "Put on your uniforms," she commanded. "It is time."

Kinsei nodded once before turning off the screen that was in her room. She turned to face the other Senshi, trying not to wince at the sobbing Princess on her bed. "You heard the Queen. Serenity, you stay here, we'll be back." She nodded as if the Princess had acknowledged her, and the Senshi left the room to prepare for battle.

Serenity lay there, continuing to sob. Why had it all gone so horribly wrong? She had felt so unbelievably happy one moment, and then her world came crashing down the next. The Senshi were preparing for battle, the Earthlings were considering war, and she hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye to Endymion before the Senshi had whisked her away. What was it that Kinsei had said before? _Destined to be together forever but forever apart_… The thought made her tears begin afresh.

If she had chanced to look up she may have seen a flash of light coming from outside, and a bewildered looking Prince running headlong towards the castle.

Serenity didn't notice that nearly an hour passed before Mokusei came flying into the room, obviously out of breath which was unusual for such an athletic girl. "Prince Endymion is here!" she nearly screamed, and Serenity almost fell off the bed in surprise. "He's with your mother, come quickly!" She turned and flew from the room before Serenity had any more time to react.

The Princess was off the bed and running after her friend in a second, ignoring the toe that she stubbed against the bedside table.

They reached the throne room in minutes, and Serenity ran straight to Endymion. He immediately picked her up in a crushing hug and kissed her face hurriedly. She beamed up at him, but her smile faltered when she saw his somber look. "What? What is it?" She looked to her mother, who shared the Prince's grave face. "Mother, what's happening," Serenity demanded.

"Earth is attacking," answered Endymion. "They will most likely be here soon; they have forces constantly at the ready. I'm sorry, Serenity, but there is no way to stop them now." He looked so sorrowful that Serenity's heart went out to him.

She looked back to her mother. "Is there nothing we can do?"

The Queen shook her head sadly. "There is nothing. We can only fight and hope that they will eventually see reason, but I fear that they will not. I felt something, at the ball tonight, and it was evil."

Serenity collapsed to the floor, weak with fear. "What will happen to us?"

Nobody answered.

* * *

**M**any sleepless hours passed for the people on the Moon. Their small army had been mobilized, and every person had been given some sort of weapon. Endymion stayed with Serenity and her mother, giving information on what he knew about firepower and tactics that the Earthlings would use.

The air was tense, and it didn't seem like it was about to let up any time soon. Serenity sat in a daze; her best friends were in full battle gear, their faces hardened and ready. Endymion was still in deep conversation with her mother; they weren't smiling. She felt so helpless. She knew nothing of fighting or of war, what could she possibly do to help? She swallowed nervously. What if they couldn't win?

She quashed that thought before she had time to examine it too closely. At this point, there was nothing to be done but wait, and pray for the best.

They were interrupted by the sudden crashing of opening doors and a young man running into the throne room. "Earthlings are materializing all over the grounds! There's fighting breaking out all over the place!"

Everyone's face paled at once, but most covered it with extra steel in their eyes. "Let's go," said Kinsei, standing with her sword at her side. "We have to get out there before they have time to regroup." With a swift motion of her hand, the sword's stone covering disappeared only to be replaced with a sparkling crystal.

The other Senshi nodded and joined her. Endymion made to follow, but Kasei stopped him. "Stay here. Watch Serenity with your life or you'll have us to deal with." Endymion nodded once, and returned to her side.

"I must go too," said the Queen suddenly. Serenity spun around, horror in her eyes.

"No, mother!" cried Serenity without thinking.

The Queen rested a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled sadly. "My dear, do not be sad. I will use the power of my Imperial Crystal. One of us must be with the rest of the people, to lend them power and support. You must remain safe, my dear. The Prince will protect you, and everything will be alright, you shall see. Be brave for me, love."

Serenity managed a small, trembling smile, and her mother kissed her forehead. The Senshi all came over and hugged her and Serenity continued to hold back her tears through it all. They were gone a moment later, leaving Serenity and Endymion alone in the suddenly too large and too quiet room.

They sat awkwardly for a moment before Endymion stood, and Serenity looked at him with a questioning gaze. "Is there anywhere we can go that's outside, like a balcony? I just want to see what's happening."

"Yes, there's a large one upstairs." Serenity led the way silently until they reached the large hall that the balcony exited from. She stopped before they went outside so that she could face Endymion. "You'll protect me, right?"

She sounded so small and scared that he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her. "I'll _always_ protect you, no matter what happens," he promised. Without another word they went out on the balcony to face the horror before them.

At first, they couldn't believe they were in the same place. The ground was already littered with bodies and blood was everywhere. Serenity gasped and buried her head in Endymion's shoulder. In many places, things had been destroyed and the ground torn up to reveal the dead moon rock beneath.

Everything already looked dead and abandoned, until fighting broke out again. Endymion looked in the direction of the noise and paled at what he saw. There was that redheaded woman, spitting lightening and energy at all who stood in her way. The people fell like cut blades of grass, never to rise again.

He felt the bile rise up in his throat at the sight of her grotesquely malformed face and oversized nails. He remembered her from that day at the edge of the forest; she had been beautiful only a few weeks before. Now, she was a monster. If anything, he felt horribly bad for her, and it made him sad. He squeezed Serenity tighter.

She watched the fight with one half open eye, shutting it again whenever something terrible seemed about to happen. Suddenly, she saw something that made her push Endymion away and run to the edge of the balcony so that she could see. He was right behind her, and he saw it at the same time that she did. His throat constricted and he felt ill. His Shitennou were fighting the Senshi, violently and without remorse. Serenity cried out as her friends were ruthlessly battered.

What had happened to his friends? Since when had they hated the people of the Moon? Why had this happened? Endymion felt uncontrollable rage boiling inside of him. This was _not_ his fault; he refused to let guilt claim him. All he had done was fall helplessly in love with the most beautiful girl he had ever met, and some evil witch wanted to destroy everything because of it.

His mind was made up. He turned to Serenity once more and steeled himself for her reaction. "I can't stay here. I have to fight with them." Surprisingly, she didn't argue. She only nodded and held him tightly for a moment, whispering for him to be careful. Endymion lifted her chin so that he could look directly into her clear blue eyes. They were swimming with tears, but she tried to smile for him and he loved her for it. "You know I love you, right?" he whispered hoarsely.

She nodded with her hair flying wildly around her. "Yes. I love you too, Endymion, my Prince. Be careful." He kissed her one last time and ran back inside to make his way downstairs.

Serenity clasped her hands to her chest and turned back to watch the battle. No matter how much she tried to reassure herself, she knew that this was not going to end well, if it ended at all. She somehow felt that this was something that would go beyond her lifetime, whatever was left of it.

* * *

**A/N**: well, it's almost over! I think one more chapter and then an epilogue :) I'll try to get them finished quickly! Also, don't forget to leave a review and then to check out the forum for this chapter!


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N**: okay, this chapter has a lot of character death... As in, everybody lol. I'm just warning you! Enjoy! Or, you know, be sad... Whatever.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

**I**t was the end of the world. Serenity watched, horrified, as everything crumbled around her. The castle itself was being torn apart, and she fled the balcony from where she had been watching the action. She had to get out of the palace before the whole thing collapsed around her. She ran quickly to the top of the stairs and then hesitated, torn in indecision.

Her locket and Endymion's watch were still in her room. She stood there, practically jumping with nervousness, before a loud crash shook the entire floor, nearly sending her sprawling down the stairs. She cried out and grasped the banister desperately, waiting for the tremors to stop. When it was over, she turned and ran for her bedroom. She would not leave such precious things behind.

Serenity reached her room just as another explosion rocked the palace. She flew headlong into her door, only managing to stop herself from falling by grasping the doorknob tightly. Her action caused it to open and she stumbled into her room, desperately fighting for balance. When she was finally able to move without nearly falling, she made her way over to her bed. There was Endymion's watch… But where was her locket?

She fell to the floor, searching frantically and nearly screaming aloud when another explosion tore through the air. Finally, she saw a glint of gold from far under her bed. Straining, she felt something cool against her hand and grabbed it swiftly. She as lucky; it was her locket, safe and sound. She picked up both items quickly and ran from the room just before some rubble fell from the ceiling. It was _definitely_ time to leave.

The Princess made it to the ground floor with only a few minor cuts and scratches, for which she was extremely grateful. She had reached the main entry hall, and once again she could hear the cries of the people battling. It was a horrific sound of pure terror and agony, and she cringed. She almost hesitated to leave the palace, but there was another explosion.

This one continued, and rubble began to rain down almost unstoppably. Serenity cried out as a large chunk of the ceiling fell only a foot away from her, spraying her with small pieces of debris. Thinking only of escaping the falling castle, she threw open the doors and ran out into the raging battle.

* * *

**K**insei was breathing hard, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. She was facing a tall man with silvery white hair and icy eyes. They were matched equally in skill with the sword, but it was his surprising dark power that was making her so anxious. Whoever had orchestrated this attack had graced their minions with a power that only the Princesses could match, and as such the civilians were being cut down effortlessly.

She dared a look to her left. Kasei was shooting a merciless stream of fire at another man, this one with short blonde hair. He was laughing arrogantly as he easily deflected it and returned a fireball of his own. Kinsei cursed under her breath. She had not imagined something so evil when they had prepared for this battle. So much needless slaughter…

She was unable to finish her thought as the white-haired devil she was facing lunged at her, sword aimed directly at her heart. She parried wildly, leaving herself open for the backstroke, and jumped backwards to avoid it. The intense fight was taking its toll on her; she could not keep it up much longer.

A wild battle-cry caused her to whip her head around just in time to see Mokusei in hand-to-hand combat with a brown-haired man. From all outward appearances, it seemed that Mokusei had the upper hand, but Kinsei could tell she was tiring. None of them would be able to keep it up for much longer.

Unless something happened soon that turned the battle in their favor, Kinsei knew that they would all die.

* * *

**Q**ueen Serenity's eyes moved slowly across the scene in front of her. She had managed to spot the woman who she believed to be the perpetrator in all of this, but had lost her soon after. She hesitated to use her powers; there were too many innocent people to risk it. If she let her power go too much, it could spell doom for them all. Sorrow welled up inside of her; she felt that this would be over soon, no matter what she had to say about the matter.

She began to walk in a random direction. If she didn't find that redheaded woman again soon, then she wouldn't be able to help anyone.

Without warning, she was thrown abruptly to the ground. Intense pain welled through her back, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Someone, or some_thing_, had hit her with a powerful spell. She managed to roll over to face her attacker, and saw the redhead standing above her, cackling evilly.

"Oh, my dear Queen Serenity," she hissed with a smile. "It is so wonderful to finally meet you."

The Queen tried to lift her arms in order to retaliate, but she could not find the strength. With shock, she realized that this woman had great power. The Queen knew already that she was dying, that this woman's magic had poisoned her and that she would never again move from this spot. "Who are you?" she managed to whisper.

The woman cackled. "I am the new Queen of all the Earth and the Moon! Queen Beryl, yes, it has a nice ring to it don't you think?" Serenity didn't answer that, but Beryl didn't seem to mind.

"Kill me now, if you must," she said finally. "But let the others go!"

Queen Beryl laughed again, louder this time, and Serenity cringed away from the awful noise. "Oh yes, I will kill you," she amended. "But I will _not_ be letting your little brat live. In fact, I think I will leave you alive long enough to watch the rest of your mighty kingdom fall before I return here."

"No!" cried the fallen Queen. It was too late. Beryl had turned and was leaving her there, lying against a large piece of rubble, to watch her kingdom and her people die.

* * *

**P**rincess Serenity ran blindly through the charred and destroyed remains of what had once been a beautiful courtyard, doing her best to avoid obstacles and being seen. There was only one goal in her mind; finding Endymion. She looked for him, her eyes searching everywhere, but she only saw random little skirmishes wherever she looked.

Suddenly, she found herself out of the main courtyard and in the open. She stopped for a moment, looking around for a familiar face. She watched in horror as more people were killed; there were less and less Moon People every minute, while the number of Earthlings that were attacking seemed to be growing, as impossible as it seemed. They were killing the People of the Moon faster now, ganging up on them in ridiculous numbers.

Serenity began to cry with hopelessness.

"Princess," cried a voice to her left, and she spun to meet it. It was Endymion! Her heart leapt and she ran towards him with her arms outstretched. He was okay, and to her that meant that everything would be alright. Suddenly he stopped moving towards her with a look of horror, and she stopped in her tracks.

She turned slowly to face her fate, and could only watch as, in seeming slow-motion, a woman with red hair raised her hands. Something dark and crackling with magic flew towards Serenity, and her mouth opened in a silent 'o' of protest. The following events played themselves out like a series of snapshots, burned forever in her mind.

She held out her hands in a futile attempt to stop the ball of doom that was coming towards her.

The red-haired woman's face was twisted in a grotesque laugh.

Endymion was running towards her as if to stop it himself.

Serenity didn't even have time to make a noise of protest before Endymion had shoved her out of the way, and the energy hit him square in the chest. There were no last words, and no sorrowful goodbye. He was dead, lying on the ground like a caricature of the man he had been seconds before. She fell to the ground in disbelief, cradling his head in her lap. She had already forgotten about the evil woman that was trying to kill her as the tears began to flow freely down her face.

"Stupid man," said the woman, and Serenity looked up to face her, prepared to accept whatever fate would befall her. "He shouldn't have bothered." But for some reason, the woman didn't sound so sure of herself, and then she was gone, running off to join other battles.

Serenity didn't bother to contemplate why the woman had left her there. She looked back down on the face of her Prince, peaceful in his sleep of death. Tears fell down her face, gathering on the tip of her nose and chin before dropping gently onto his skin. She stroked his dark hair and tried to will life back into him with her thoughts, but he was not stirring.

She chanced a look around. Everywhere, people were dying. "Why," she asked herself. "Why must we suffer? I just wanted to be happy with you, my Endymion." Her whole body was shaking. She saw her Senshi fighting, their moves bringing them slightly closer to where she sat.

It seemed like her ears were stuffed with cotton. She could only hear the muffled explosions, and far away cries. It was like she was no longer there, and she wondered why she felt like this.

The answer struck her suddenly. Her heart was completely broken, with no hope of repair. Her eyes slid to the sword that was lying next to Endymion's body. With a sad smile she laid his head gently on the ground and kissed his brow. "I will love you forever. Perhaps in the next life, we will have better luck." She placed the locket around his neck and the watch on her chest, allowing her hand to linger for a moment.

She stood, picking up the sword. It was much too heavy for her, but she wasn't intending to fight. She aimed it awkwardly towards her own stomach, and looked up at her Senshi, who were still fighting some distance away.

It was as if they felt her. Kinsei turned to look at her, and Serenity smiled sadly before plunging the sword deep into her own abdomen.

"No, Princess!" Kinsei's shriek was enough to catch the attention of the other Senshi. They all stopped fighting as their friend and Princess fell to the ground, peaceful in her rest beside her Prince. They stood in shock, forgetting the precarious situation that they were all in.

That was enough for Kunzite. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword directly through the chest of the blonde girl that he had been fighting. Her eyes whipped back to his, glaring and angry. She opened her mouth as if to reprimand him, but all that came out was blood. With a look of shock, Kinsei fell to the ground and Kunzite removed his sword, wiping it callously on her skirt.

He looked over at Jadeite, who was barely holding his own against the now furious Senshi of Fire. Kasei was launching fireball after fireball at the general, and he was barely fighting half of them off. Kunzite smiled coldly as he walked towards her. She was so overcome by bloodlust that she did not even sense him behind her, and he thrust his sword easily through her back. She fell with a cry of pain, and never even saw her killer.

"Two down," Kunzite said with a smile as Jadeite looked at him with gratitude.

* * *

**Q**ueen Serenity had been just close enough to watch her daughter's demise, but too far to be heard over the sounds of battle. She had closed her eyes and tears began to fall slowly down her face as she faced the hopelessness of her plight. It was over, now. She had seen Kinsei and Kasei fall to the evil generals of Queen Beryl, and knew that Mokusei and Suisei could not be far behind, wherever they were.

She knew now that the Outer Senshi would not be on time to save them. It was too late; there was nothing left to save. Everything would be left up to her. She reached inside herself, and brought forth her Crystal. Everything relied on whether or not she would have enough power to do what she knew needed to be done.

* * *

**N**ephrite laughed over the broken body of Mokusei. Her ankle was sprained and her arm was broken, but still she managed to glare up at him. He saw Jadeite and Kunzite approaching him, and got a brilliant idea. "Kunzite, give me your sword," he said with a smile.

Mokusei took his momentary distraction as an opportunity to throw a final attack his way. He cursed as the lightening hit his back, sending him tumbling forward. She was too weak- it had not seriously injured him. Nephrite turned around, now with the sword in his hand, looking angrier than ever. "You will pay for that, little Princess."

The Princess of Jupiter didn't even have a chance to scream before he plunged the sword into her throat.

The three Generals laughed over her as she bled out onto the dry ground.

* * *

**T**he Queen Serenity used her draining strength to lift the crystal over her head as she did her best to gather what power she had remaining.

She closed her eyes and strained harder, trying to overcome the pain of her impending death.

"It's almost over…"

* * *

**T**he Shitennou found Zoisite locked in an intense battle against Suisei. Despite her demure manner and quiet ways, she was holding her own quite well against the general. Kunzite watched impassively for a few moments before deciding to intervene.

"Good day, Princess," he growled as he stepped into her line of sight. She gasped quietly before her face hardened in anger. "Your friends are dead. Give it up now; perhaps we have a place for you within our army."

"Or as a concubine," giggled Zoisite.

Her disgust was evident. "I will _never_ join you!" she cried, unleashing a powerful fog. It blinded them all and shielded her from sight.

Kunzite cursed aloud. "Damn you, Princess of Mercury! Hide all you want, but we _will_ find you!" He lunged towards the spot where she had been, lashing wildly with his sword. He was rewarded with a cry of pain and the fog instantly dissipated, revealing Suisei clutching her arm in pain.

Her eyes were filled with pain as she looked at the general sorrowfully, but he felt no sympathy. With one final down-stroke of his sword he connected with her collarbone, felling her where she stood.

He blinked in surprise. "That was easy." For the last time, he wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it. He looked at the other Shitennou, at a loss for what they should do now. All around them the fallen People of the Moon laid, and it seemed that the battle was finally won. Many Earthlings also stood around, everyone confused as to what should happen now.

* * *

**Q**ueen Serenity saw the fall of the final Senshi inside her mind, and her heart broke for all those that had suffered. "I will make it up to you," she whispered. "You will have another chance to be happy, and I hope with all of my heart that your next life will be better. It may not be easier, but you will find new hope and new friendship, and things _will_ be better."

She activated the Crystal in her hands, and a silvery light covered the Moon.

The Earthlings and the Shitennou looked around them in amazement. The light lit everything up, highlighting the destruction that lay around them. Zoisite cried out in surprise as the body of Suisei began to float above the ground, and was suddenly encased in what seemed to be a bubble of sorts.

"What is going on here?" cried Nephrite as more and more bodies lifted into the sky along with Suisei's.

There was a sudden cry of pain as Jadeite fell to the ground, only to be encased like the rest. Nephrite ran towards him in surprise, and was instantly cut down by an invisible force. Zoisite was soon after, and Kunzite didn't even have a chance to wonder before he joined his friends.

Queen Serenity smiled to herself. It was working. She was too weak to be specific about who would be sent; she had to send everyone or no one. She hoped that her daughter and the Senshi would be able to find the power to defeat Queen Beryl in another place and time, and watched happily as the hundreds of bubbles floated across the sky for a moment before beginning to drift towards the Earth.

Her peacefulness was interrupted by a shriek of anger, and she looked across the battlefield before spotting Beryl. She was resisting the power, trapped in the bubble but not dead.

The Queen gritted her teeth and pushed her last bit of power into the Crystal. If Beryl would not die, then she would be sealed away until someone could defeat her once and for all. The shield containing the evil Queen flew away faster than the rest, headed towards a great white continent that was clearly visible from the Moon. "I can only hope that I have contained her well enough until someone else can deal with her."

The silvery light that had blanketed the Moon faded, leaving only the Queen lying against the piece of rubble that propped her up. She closed her eyes, and a tear slipped down her cheek. "Goodbye, my lovely daughter. I love you."

"Queen Serenity," cried a voice, causing her eyes to snap open.

She smiled at the figure that was approaching her. "It is done, Meiousei. Do what you know must be done, and then send Tenousei and Kaiousei to Earth with the rest."

Meiousei's eyes were filled with sorrow as she nodded once. "I'm sorry my Queen, but you know as well as I that this is how it must be." The Queen smiled at her and nodded once, closing her eyes and releasing her last breath.

Tenousei approached slowly, holding her sword. "Meiousei, we have no time to waste."

The Princess of Pluto nodded slowly and stepped away from the deceased Queen. She lifted her Garnet Orb off the end of the Key of Time and held it in front of her. She looked to Tenousei, who held forward her Space Sword and touched the tip of it to the top of the Garnet Orb. They both looked to Kaiousei, and she pulled out her Deep Aqua Mirror. She looked completely unhappy as she touched it to the other two talismans.

Instantly, a light so bright that it made the rest of the planet look black exploded from the place where the talismans touched. The Outer Senshi shielded their eyes, but did not pull away.

When the light dissipated, a small girl stood in the middle of their circle. Her hair was dark and her skin was pale, and she looked so delicate that they almost could not believe the power she held.

She smiled at them. "I am Dosei, Princess of Saturn and Senshi of Rebirth." They bowed to her, and she returned it. "Leave now, if you wish to live." They all looked fearfully at the Silence Glaive that she held in her hand before turning to depart. In a flash of light, they were gone, and Dosei looked around the desolate battlefield in despair.

She began to lower her Silence Glaive, and a moment later it was all over.

The Moon Kingdom was no more.

* * *

**A/N**: wow. I'm sorry if that sucked; I'm really bad at writing battle scenes! Just the epilogue left, then it's all over! Please review... I see lots of hits but not many reviews, even if you just leave one I'll be happy! And please check out the forum and talk about what you thought about this chapter!


	8. Epilogue

**A/N**: okay, here it is, the very short epilogue lol. The dialogue is pretty much directly from the manga. If any of the words are wrong that is completely my fault and I apologize. Enjoy!

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

**M**amoru walked down the street, right behind a girl with the weirdest hair he had ever seen. The urge to make fun of it was overwhelming, but there was something that held him back. Despite the fact that he was sure that he had never hung out with _anybody_ with hair that ridiculous, there was something familiar about her, and he hadn't even seen her face.

Suddenly, she threw something over her shoulder and it hit him in the face. His quick reflexes caused him to catch it, but now he was annoyed. "Thanks a lot, cow-tails. That was right in my face. Next time, try a wastebasket," he said coldly, adjusting his sunglasses.

She spun around with fire practically spitting from her eyes. "These are _not_ cow-tails! They're called _pig_-tails, stupid! _Pig-tails_!" She emphasized the last word with a shake of her fist, but Mamoru ignored her and opened the crumpled piece of paper that she had hit him with.

He laughed out loud. It was a test, with a big red thirty circled on the top. He couldn't help but egg her on more; "Thirty? Who's calling who stupid, pig-tails?" He threw the paper back at her face and laughed when it hit her in the head. _Ah, sweet revenge_, he thought.

She grabbed it clumsily, raging, "I have had _enough_!" but Mamoru was gone, continuing down the street.

Usagi watched him go curiously. "What a weird guy. He thinks he's so cool in his tuxedo…"

There was something about him, though; something vaguely familiar. She dismissed it with a wave of her hand; if she never saw _him_ again she would be happy.

Mamoru didn't spare the girl he had left fuming on the sidewalk another glance. He looked up at the store he had stopped in front of, smiling. "Maybe I can find it here," he said to himself, "the Silver Crystal…"

_Then maybe I can find my Princess_.

* * *

**A/N**: It's over! I'm so happy and relieved! I hope you guys liked it, and maybe in the future I'll go back and revise and elaborate, but for right now I'm just happy it's finished. It's been a journey, so thanks so much to everybody who read and reviewed!


End file.
